Barstool Sports struck a deal with Netflix that will bring Pardon My Take and other video podcasts to Netflix. And Dave Portnoy is fighting off the perception that the popular show has “sold out.”
The podcasts will still be free via audio, but the video feeds that have been freely available on YouTube will soon be on their way to the streaming platform. For Pardon My Take, that means leaving behind an audience in the high six figures per episode.
Responding to a thread from Jack Settleman of Snapback Sports, Portnoy defended the podcast’s move to Netflix. He said that Dan Katz and PFTCommenter had stayed loyal to Barstool Sports and turned down opportunities for big-money moves elsewhere that others in the Barstool universe had accepted.
He also called the notion that Pardon My Take had sold out as one that was “laughable.”
“This is laughable coming from a guy with an underdog logo saying PMT sold out. Facts are companies like Underdog/Prize Picks/Prediction Markets overpay by tens of millions for our talent. If you’re concern is the best content for fans your company is an absolute content killer in the scheme of things. You wildly overpay and create a market that makes it impossible to pay our stars. I say our stars because everybody wants our glitter. Big Cat and PFT have been 2 of the most generous superstars for their fans and our company because they each could have left for huge deals multiple times but have always maintained PMT would be best in our world with all the side characters and chaos. And the money they make helps pay for the circus. Even when they’ve seen others talent leave for mega deals who they dwarf in terms of size. To complain that we’re getting paid to put pmt video on Netflix which I bet 90% of their audience has is ludicrous. Selling out would be what lots of our talent has done to the highest bidder. These guys have stayed. Give me a break,” Portnoy said.”
Earlier this year, Barstool podcast Bussin’ with the Boys left for FanDuel in a lucrative new deal. Taylor Lewan and Will Compton have also partnered with ESPN, making several appearances on their weekly morning show programs.
The Netflix deal with Barstool Sports follows the streaming giant’s deal with The Ringer to also bring their podcast to the platform. Netflix also struck a deal with FIFA to bring a new soccer game to its games platform.
Netflix wants to greatly expand its reach and influence and sees sports podcasts as one way to do it. You can understand some frustration that these deals are putting content that was once free and available to all on YouTube behind a paywall at Netflix. There is no doubt that Pardon My Take will not reach the same video audience on Netflix that they did on YouTube; it’s just impractical given the platforms.
But it’s clearly the direction the industry is moving as podcasts become a new way to do television. Streaming companies are going all in to get exclusive content by any means necessary. We now live in a universe where the Oscars will soon be broadcast on YouTube. So you can’t blame Barstool, Dave Portnoy, and Pardon My Take for making a business decision to cash in while preserving as much of their audience as they can.
About Matt Yoder