Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports will no longer make appearances on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame college football show, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The person talked to the on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been publicly announced.
The Athletic was the first to report on Fox Sports’ decision.
The Barstool Sports founder said on social media that it was Ohio State and coach Ryan Day who forced Fox Sports to take them off the show.
“Juice wasn’t worth the squeeze and frankly I don’t blame them. Huge dollars at stake and you have Cryin Ryan throwing temper tantrums and making threats every few days on something I said,” Portnoy said in his post.
Fox Sports had no comment. Ohio State referred all questions about Portnoy to Fox Sports.
The Associated Press sent Portnoy an email seeking comment.
Fox pays the most in a seven-year, multinetwork deal with the Big Ten that also includes NBC and CBS. Fox also owns 61% of the Big Ten Network.
Portnoy started making appearances on the show last fall after Barstool and Fox Sports announced a partnership. “Big Noon Kickoff” also features host Rob Stone and analysts Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram and Chris “The Bear” Fallica.
Portnoy graduated from Michigan and has used Ohio State as a punching bag. The Barstool Sports founder said last year that Ohio State banned him from going inside Ohio Stadium before the season opener between the Buckeyes and Texas.
Ohio State said that during planning meetings with Fox, the only talent coming into the stadium would be their main desk crew, which did not include Portnoy.
Barstool still has a live two-hour weekday morning show on FS1.
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