Barstool Sports the most valuable media company in the world by 2025?

I don't think it's a ridiculously insane notion, and this is coming from someone who loathes almost everything about Barstool. They have captured a young demographic that are incredibly loyal. Richard Deitsch constantly references that the Chernin Group's involvement with Barstool could be a gamechanger.

 

Some phony trumped up value? Sure. Maybe.

I doubt it. These Web sites rarely sustain themselves creatively. Culture changes. The sites don't change with it.

 

This is a really weird thread even for SJ standards. Do I think Barstool will be the most valuable media company in 2025? Nope. But I do think Barstool is becoming much more mainstream and is clearly growing. I do wonder about the long-term sustainability of a company that banks on being funny and hip -- Bill Simmons hasn't aged well at all -- but there's no denying, whether you like Barstool or not, it's one of the hottest sports brands out there right now.

 

JCT sums it up good.

I had only a vague awareness it existed (probably because of this site) before PFTCommenter joined on last year. I liked his writing at SBNation and I have enjoyed Pardon My Take. I get why it can be viewed as juvenile hogwash, but I love the parody of serious talking head shows. They recognize the absurdity of their own existence. And their interviews are damn entertaining.

 

I don't see it as being all that much sillier than SBNation has become. Once you decide you're going to be cute, I guess you're all in.

 

If I were investing in the company, this would be my biggest worry. Portnoy is 40 or so and he could lose whatever makes his site relevant as he gets older. He seems to have done a good job expanding the brand into other cities and colleges.

I wonder how much of the company's value is in podcasts/videos and merch. The website's posts aren't very interesting and a lot of content seems to be self referential, so you are either in on it or not. Seems like it is heavily brand orientated. If that slips, it could be all over.

That being said, an original writer for the site got a job as the third guy in WEEI's afternoon drive show. (He recently returned to the site). Their baseball writer got a job at CSNNE and another Boston blogger regularly appears on WEEI.

In short, I'm confused and have no idea how the site is worth what it is and why its writers are given any respect.

 

Most valuable media company? LOL. Obviously not. That's a ridiculous thing to say.

However, there's no denying Barstool's hot streak. I'm no market analyst, but I'd say its key to success will be keeping its fan base as the fans grow older. When the 25- and 30-year-olds are 45- and 50-year-olds, will they still seek out that sort of humor? Probably not. They'll probably try to pivot in some way, while not abandoning what's gotten them here.

 

Barstool has replaced Bill Simmons' Grantland and previously ESPN's Page 2 as the "go to" place for sports entertainment.

e.g. Does This Look Like The Face Of A Dude Who Mailed Dead Skunks To A Rival Teacher Who Beat Him Out For A Job?

Yes it does, Barstool, yes it does.

 

Biggest question is longevity. Will all the loyal nutzo stoolis still be into this nonsense when they're 30, 35, 40? And if not will they be able to capture the next Gen of 18-24 year olds in their animal phase? Or will that demo move on?

 

Deitsch is so far up Barstool's ass he might be on the payroll. The guy fashions himself as a champion of women and minorities in everything else he does, yet can't stop stroking an entire network created by and catering toward misogynists and racists. Terribly hypocritical.

 

Deitsch kisses the ass of whatever's popular. He did the same stuff with Deadspin. He's an empty suit with absolutely no balls.

 

We finally agree on something!