Dave Portnoy is bringing his brand to one particular conference.
The Big 12 Conference had a call with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Wednesday morning, with commissioner Brett Yormark and all 16-member athletic directors present, league sources confirmed to The Athletic. And while there is no official contract between the Big 12 and Barstool, the conference is looking to capitalize on Fox’s new partnership with Portnoy and Barstool by engaging with the brand moving forward.
The conversation on Wednesday centered on Portnoy and Barstool being on campus for Big Noon games, including this Saturday for Iowa at Iowa State, but also included the possibility of having Big 12 coaches and other affiliated members appearing as guests on Barstool’s new FS1 show and other Barstool programming. This would extend beyond football to other Big 12 sports as well, including men’s and women’s basketball.
The Barstool CFB Show is going to be outstanding in Ames, Iowa pic.twitter.com/lRbvJ1EOOT
— Barstool College Football Show (@BarstoolCFB) September 2, 2025
“I think the Big 12 wants to create a stark contrast to the relationship between Barstool and the Big Ten,” said a league source, referencing last week’s headlines regarding Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” trip to Columbus for Texas at Ohio State, where Portnoy, a Michigan alum, ignited drama with the Ohio State athletic department.
Barstool Sports partnered with Fox Sports this summer and part of the agreement was to have Portnoy be part of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame show. But before the blue bloods kick off the first full Saturday slate in 2025, reports surfaced that Ohio State had barred Portnoy from going inside Ohio Stadium. Portnoy, also a longtime critic of Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, said he felt bad that Bartstool’s new partnership with Fox put him in an awkward position. Ohio State AD Ross Bjork denied reports that Portnoy would not be allowed in the stadium.
A statement from Ohio State last week mentioned that Fox did not include Portnoy as part of the “main desk crew,” which is allowed inside the stadium for the last hour of the show before kickoff. Portnoy joined the production outside Ohio Stadium, walking out in a Big Ten hoodie and singing the Michigan fight song while being booed loudly by Buckeyes fans.
“This is a unique spot for me because I always just sling it and say what’s happening. Barstool is an independent pirate ship. We work for ourselves,” he said in a post last week. “That’s why people love us. We don’t filter anything, we don’t hide anything.”
The Big 12’s willingness to engage with Portnoy, a controversial figure, and Barstool will be off-putting to some. But Barstool attracts a big audience, particularly among young males, which is why Fox partnered with the company in the first place for its college football coverage. And the Big 12 understands that it needs to be proactive about generating conversation and attention in a way the Big Ten and SEC do not.
The Big 12 is banking on Portnoy’s bombastic persona to drive interest.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said Portnoy will be part of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” Saturday when the Cyclones host rival Iowa.
Iowa State is not Ohio State – Dave Portnoy and @barstoolsports will be live from the Reiman Plaza Saturday as part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff. @Big12Conference @FOXSports pic.twitter.com/FeTTE0ynAX
— Jamie Pollard (@IASTATEAD) September 3, 2025
Under Yormark, the Big 12 has not shied away from opportunities to differentiate itself. This summer, the Big 12 also announced a partnership with the WWE, which will feature Friday night WWE SmackDown events on the night before four Big 12 conference games throughout the 2025 season.
Before the Week 0 game between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin on Aug. 23, Yormark was asked about the advantages of being in the Big 12.
“Our best days are ahead,” he said. “We’re like a growth stock. I’m very excited about our future and where we are.”
(Top photo: Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)
