16 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

When ESPN canceled the Barstool Van Talk late-night show in 2017, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy predicted his rebel outfit would become the “next” ESPN. Guess what? Seven years later, he looks prescient in form if not in scale. Barstool is becoming more like ESPN—while ESPN is becoming more like Barstool.

 

Their parallel universes collided once again Thursday when Barstool hired former ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported it was a multi-year deal.

 

Gruden was once the highest-paid talent at ESPN, eventually earning $6.5 million a year toward the end of a stint that lasted from  2009 to 2017. Meanwhile, former Barstool host Pat McAfee is now one of the biggest stars at ESPN, hosting his own eponymous weekday show and starring on College GameDay. Like Gruden before him, McAfee is now one of ESPN’s highest-paid talents, licensing his show for $17 million per year. The 37-year-old former punter appeals to the younger audience who likes Barstool. All legacy media companies are struggling to attract younger readers and viewers. That’s why McAfee can get away with antics like prompting LSU fans to shout an obscene chant live on the air.

 

https://frontoffices...ool-espn-lines/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 November 2024 - 08:42 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

https://www.gofundme...ource=copy_link

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dave Portnoy gives pizza business $60k to help them avoid closing down

 

https://www.dexerto....g-down-3015212/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2024 - 03:52 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Review, and $60k pledge - video on X:

 

https://x.com/barsto...329949891899857

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2024 - 03:57 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

$46,000 now. What a story.

[Victoria Watcher]

$65,000 now.

[Victoria Watcher]

$68,000 now.

[spanky123]

Up to almost $100K.

 

So their price for a pizza is $9US. Are they going to give away 10,000+ pizzas over the holidays?! They have given away 1,000 pizzas in the past 4 years!

 

It was great that they got the $60K gift to continue their business but stuff like this just looks like they are now taking advantage of the publicity and makes me cynical.

Edited by spanky123, 24 December 2024 - 04:19 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

It was great that they got the $60K gift to continue their business but stuff like this just looks like they are now taking advantage of the publicity and makes me cynical.

 

Watch the video.   That guy is not up to any mischief.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2024 - 06:46 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

$98,393.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Blair M.]

Small and family pizza joints are like a religion to Dave Portnoy, he doesn't associate with scammers nor does he tolerate them.

His influence is monumental at pizza joints, and his pizza ratings literally change a business owners fortunes.

 

He's given the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars to restaurants in order to support them, almost all of that money given anonymously. Portnoy's personal wealth is in the many, many millions of dollars, but he doesn't advertise his specific gifts of charity. The reason it's well known is that the restaurants he gives support money to most often can't resist telling the press how grateful they are to Portnoy.

 

All through COVID Portnoy continued to visit pizza joints, and a high rating from Portnoy during COVID saved many dozens of pizza restaurants, as those ratings brought hundreds (a high enough rating brought thousands) of new customers to those joints he gave a high rating to.

 

If you're at all into pizza, here's Dave's must watch, and quite famous "One Bite, Everybody Knows The Rules" pizza review channel. It's a division of Barstool, albeit one that Dave keeps exclusively for himself.

It's worth remembering while you're watching, that Dave's Pizza reviews change peoples lives, and it's something Portnoy takes extremely seriously.

https://www.youtube....itePizzaReviews

[Victoria Watcher]

$108,186.

[Blair M.]

Dave Portnoy just now gave out a 9.2 score for a new Manhattan pizza shop called Ceres. He gave the 9.2 for their cheese pizza AFTER he gave out a 9.3 for their tomato pizza. 

When Portnoy gives out a 9+ (which he's only done a handful of times, and hasn't done for over a year now) it means the joint is guaranteed to become so busy and packed that you won't even be able to get near the front door for at least the next couple of years.

 

But if you're in Manhattan, and are willing to brave the crowds for the best slice of pizza you can lay your hands on, Ceres now adds its name to Johns of Bleeker, Lucali, Di Ferra, and a couple more Manhattan/Brooklyn joints, as the best pizza on the planet. 

https://www.youtube....h?v=a4ckADIxkvE

 

Portnoy's other three or four 9+ joints are mostly in New Haven, which isn't on most tourists list of places to visit, so Manhattan/Brooklyn it is.

[Mike K.]

Great heads-up, Blair, thank you.