Sports activities
UFC president Dana White doesn’t see a brilliant future for Barstool Sports activities after being purchased out by Penn Leisure earlier this 12 months.
Throughout a Wednesday look on “The Pat McAfee Present,” White appeared to disapprove of Barstool Sports activities founder Dave Portnoy’s resolution to promote the corporate to Penn Leisure and defined why bringing in company “fits” is dangerous for enterprise.
It got here at some point after Portnoy revealed on “The Kirk Minihane Present” that his contract is up in 20 months, and he’s unsure if he’ll attain an extension with the mother or father firm.
“I might a lot moderately do that present than any of the linear TV exhibits on the market,” White stated of “The Pat McAfee Present,” which is transferring to ESPN in a multimillion-dollar deal anticipated to start within the fall, The Publish’s Andrew Marchand reported. “It’s a lot, a lot better.
“Let me inform you what, when you begin to get fits concerned in your online business and these f–king company guys who suppose know what they’re f–king doing… and most of them don’t know jack s–t.
UFC president Dana White on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Might 24, 2023. Twitter
“… You’re gonna see it with Barstool over the following couple of years too. They got here in and so they purchased it out, they purchased Portnoy out.
“I had a scenario yesterday with Barstool and it’s turning into a company f–king s–t-show too. It’s what occurs whenever you get these f–king fits concerned in your online business.”
White and his former enterprise companions, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, bought UFC to Endeavor in 2016 and partnered with ESPN on a blockbuster TV deal in 2019.
Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports activities is seen in attendance in the course of the UFC 281 occasion at Madison Sq. Backyard on November 12, 2022 in New York Metropolis. Zuffa LLC
White’s feedback sparked rumors that he ended his relationship with Barstool Sports activities, and the UFC boss cleared the air throughout a press convention for his TBS competitors present, “Energy Slap.”
“No, that’s not true,” White told reporters on Wednesday. “Hear, what I stated right this moment on Pat McAfee was not about Barstool Sports activities it was about Penn Gaming.
“Principally what I’m saying is, whenever you construct an organization like Barstool Sports activities, the best way that it was constructed with a man like Dave Portnoy, when you get a bunch of fits concerned… it simply modifications the dynamic of the entire thing. Ask Vice how that went.”
Dana White speaks with the press following the occasion at UFC Apex for UFC Vegas 73 – Dern vs Hill occasion on Might 20, 2023, in Las Vegas, NV. Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs
Penn, a brick-and-mortar on line casino firm, acquired 36 % of Barstool Sports activities from The Chernin Group for $163 million in early 2020 and purchased the rest of the corporate for a further $388 million in February 2023.
Previous to White’s Wednesday look on “The Pat McAfee Present,” Portnoy performed coy about his future with Barstool Sports activities whereas discussing its mother or father firm.
“Who is aware of the place I’ll be in 3-5 years,” Portnoy stated. “I feel Dan [Katz], which I might say is excellent for Barstool, is clearly locked in for a really very long time. He’s creating this large fantasy manufacturing unit there. I feel it’s nice for Barstool.”
Portnoy stated he has no end-date in thoughts for his time at Barstool, including that his contract is up in 20 months from Might.
“There’s been some speak about it. Such as you stated [previously], who is aware of what they’re pondering at this level,” he stated.
Portnoy — who based Barstool Sports activities in 2003 as a free print tabloid for transit commuters within the Boston space — beforehand addressed backlash that he’s a “sellout” following the controversial firing of host Ben Mintz for rapping a racial slur on a reside stream.
“So I received each Tom, Dick and Harry since this Mintzy factor saying, ‘Pres, you’re a sellout. Hey Pres, you bought out,’” Portnoy stated in a video on Twitter, admitting that’s precisely what he did. “You’re simply figuring that out? I began an organization and I f–king bought it the f–ok out. Made a whole lot of tens of millions, made tens of millions for everyone that grinded.
Warning: Express Language
“Yeah we bought the f–ok out as a result of that’s what you do whenever you’re an entrepreneur. You begin this little firm you dream at some point and also you promote it the f–ok out. Nonetheless means this resolution sucks. I hate it, it makes me wish to puke.
“However guess what, once I bought out, a pair phrases, a pair issues may be very clear: you say this stuff, these choices are now not mine. I can’t shield you, you understand why, as a result of I bought out.”
Portnoy beforehand stated he disagreed with Penn CEO Jay Snowden concerning the resolution to fireplace Mintz, including that the transfer could possibly be a “loss of life blow” to Barstool’s popularity.
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