Burns, J. (2017). Past, Present, Future:How Barstool Is Swinging For The Fences In Digital Media. (Mitch Nardi)

From Digital Culture & Society

Past, Present, Future: How Barstool Sports Is Swinging For The Fences In Digital Media

If we were to look around us we will most likely find some form of media product. Whether it’s an advertisement in a magazine or a billboard on the side of the highway, consumption of media products has never been more obvious and apparent. However, the world is constantly changing and the form of media consumption is constantly changing as well. Media consumption is changing from billboards, television commercials and magazine ads to the digital world. In today’s world people want news instantly and conveniently, whether its checking the news, the weather or scores in sporting events, people want to be able to have it at the touch of a button and at the end of their fingertips. Barstool Sports is a digital media site that focuses on topics that directly affect young, male audiences and it has completely revolutionized the way people produce and consume digital media. It was created by David Portnoy (“El Pres”), a Massachusetts native that started the sport blogging site in his basement in the early 2000’s. What started as a site that was designed to address social issues like parties, women, and of course sports, has lead to a global takeover of merchandise, catch phrases and instant news sources around the world with bloggers, editors, and former employees of Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL. The article I reviewed is titled “Past, Present, Future: How Barstool Sports Is Swinging for the fences In Digital Media”. It was published on Forbes website on July 11, 2017 and is relevant to this course because of the current date in digital culture and media. The article discusses the impact that Barstool Sports has had on digital media and the way people consume their brand. With current CEO and former Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL employee, Erika Nardini now at the helm controlling business operations and “El Pres” overseeing the editorial and publishing section, Barstool Sports has grown from small time men’s blogging site to global media outlet. Barstool has coined the phrases “Saturdays’ are for the boys (SAFTB)” and “By the common man, for the common man”, which has taken the world by storm and helped Barstool develop merchandise lines, catch phrases, brand identity and ultimately revenue. One of the biggest strengths of Barstool Sports is the ability for their subscribers and loyal followers, commonly known as “Stoolies”, to create a free source of advertisements for their potential investors and sponsorships. “For the brands who do get into the storyline, the dividends are just huge. The Stoolies will do all the heavy lifting. They do all of the work. You’ll see them posting pictures of an empty refrigerator case at the store and asking, where are the Totino’s?” (Burns, 2017). It’s a no brainer when it comes to investing, the return on investment is through the roof with very little “heavy lifting” to be done by the companies. Next, I believe that content plays a big role in the success of Barstool’s fan base and it will continue to play a role moving forward. Barstool’s bloggers cover anywhere from sports to politics and have designated spots in all major American cities. Therefore, nothing goes unnoticed or untouched in the social and political world of North American sports and entertainment. Finally, Barstool has all areas of digital consumption locked down. From multiple Instagram accounts that range from their main account which has just shy of four million followers, to accounts about animals, specific sports, women and college antics, Barstool has all the bases covered when reaching out to the world of “Stoolies”. “Since 2003, Portnoy said he has envisioned Barstool becoming a truly national brand and people are starting to put bets on us who weren’t in the past. We have a legitimate chance to get to where we want to be” (Burns, 2017). With the direction that Barstool is currently heading in, it’s not a matter of when they’ll become a national brand but how big of a national brand they’ll be. With content being produced daily about the most up to date news and stories, their ability to create a sense of unity and identity for their fan base, and the free advertisement for their sponsors and potential investors, Barstool Sports has revolutionized digital media production and consumption. In conclusion, Barstool Sports has entered the conversation to become a national brand with companies like CNN, Fox, and NBC. With the evolution of digital media and the way people produce and consume it, Barstool has created an unconventional methods to consume topics like college parties, beautiful women, and of course sports.

Reference

Burns, M. J. (2017, July 18). Past, Present, Future: How Barstool Sports Is Swinging For The Fences In Digital Media. Retrieved February 11, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjburns/2017/07/11/past-present-future-how-barstool-sports-is-swinging-for-the-fences-in-digital-media/#3d527b0e4edb