When we mused earlier this week about the direction that FOX Sports’ audience-challenged FS1 should go in the wake of their Monday morning housecleaning of just about everyone who appeared on the network prior to lunchtime we were indeed sincere–albeit in our usual dramatic fashion–when we suggested that a pivot into an alliance with an established alternative platform was a direction we thought had merit. What I didn’t know at the time was that the course was already in the final stages of being set. And yesterday, the likes of THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s Alex Weprin reminded me why, at best, these days I’m still a few steps behind the actual decision-makers:
In a major deal, Fox Sports is linking up with the digital media company Barstool Sports and its founder Dave Portnoy, in what Portnoy calls a “wide-ranging” deal.
Portnoy hosted an “emergency press conference” Thursday (he usually hosts them when discussing news about himself or his company), revealing that Barstool would be teaming with Fox on the effort, while pushing his Michigan Wolverines.
“This is the 1st time in our illustrious and notorious history that we’ve got a Tv partner we believe in and believes in us,” Portnoy posted. “I can’t wait to see what we create together.”
The deal will see Portnoy and other Barstool personalities join Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff college football show, with Barstool also set to create a new two-hour studio show that will air on Fox Sports 1 Monday-Friday, per Fox.
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Barstool Sports will also be given a daily show from 8-10 a.m., Portnoy revealed on The Unnamed Show. Portnoy will appear on the daily show on Mondays and different Barstool personalities will also be involved.
‘We are going to do an 8-10 daily show on Fox Sports 1. It’ll be like a Barstool breakfast show or Barstool wake-up,” Portnoy said. “I’m going to do Mondays, we’ll have an office in Chicago, it’ll be different characters.”
Portnoy added that the show will cover whatever is the hot topic at the moment, whether it’s sports- or Barstool-related.
“So, whatever is happening and relevant to our world, but it’ll be like, basically, all of our talent in the show,” Portnoy added. “There will be different days people are doing it, I know I’m doing Mondays.”
So on paper it sure sounds like what used to be known as FOX attitude, at least in an era where FOX wasn’t the mature, responsible adult in the room that they now more closely resemble as they settle into their fourth decade of existence. Structurally, it sounds like a DAILY SHOW-esque approach where Portnoy is taking on the role of Jon Stewart, and in football season will certainly have more to play off in that slot. Compared to the more traditional and increasingly corporate approach that Mike Greenberg and his team of recent NFL retirees take with GET UP!, it’s definitely counterprogramming.
My quiet question is–to whom?
Portnoy’s core podcast audience are the like-minded “bros and hoes” that share his approach to life and fandom–unapologetic, combative and when necessary dismissive, particularly when one’s alma mater and/or favorite team is the topic. That’s fine for a medium where engagement can and does happen at any time on any platform–even one that can be easily accessed on a device while heading to class or commuting to work.
But for a TV network that is still significantly underrepresented in online accessibility that still relies on actual ratings to drive revenue? With a target audience that if they are not commuting is more than likely hung over and sleeping in–particularly on a Monday morning after a hard weekend of partying and non-stop live games?
I can’t help but wonder if yet again this FOX isn’t again chasing its own tail.
There’s still the open question of what will be filling the balance of the morning and early afternoon time slots. The simple and most cost-effective solution would be, of course, an encore of the Barstool program. I suspect that’s at least a given for the almost forgotten FOX Sports 2, where several of those cancelled shows also enjoyed encore runs that at least on paper offered incremental audience and frequency to advertisers. I’ve seen those deliveries, though, and I must tell you I’ve seen privately uploaded live Instagram shows with bigger numbers.
And while a simple running it back approachmight be the safest route to take against FIRST TAKE–because wisely Shanks and his team are not putting Portnoy directly against such a powerful juggernaut–nor in the early afternoon slot his arch-rival and far more successful multiplatform champion bro Pat McAfee have commandeered on ESPN–it offers none of the other potential benefits to the FOX Sports brand–and what we identified earlier this week as the apparent need to have it contribute more completely to the FOX ONE offering.
So I’ll double down on those prior thoughts and yet again ask for anyone who might be in a position to listen to at least give some thought to leaning into the OUTKICK personalities to fill in some of those other voids and, just as importantly, provide a de facto control group to see if the gambit with BARSTOOL is actually working.
I’ll gladly accept that I’m not completely right. Especially since FOX Sports seems to still think that’s also true about themselves. Perhaps it’s at least worth a conversation–or at least a brand study– to see how accurate a self-assessment that is?
Courage…