Under the agreement, DraftKings has become the official sports betting partner of Barstool. The founder of Barstool, David Portnoy, confirmed this news in a blog post after Super Bowl LVIII on 11 February. This partnership marks the second time that DraftKings and Barstool are working together, as they previously collaborated on a marketing venture 10 years ago. Portnoy proudly announced the multi-year deal with DraftKings, highlighting that they are returning to their roots. DraftKings is now once again the exclusive sports betting partner of Barstool Sports.
This deal comes shortly after Portnoy regained ownership of the Barstool brand from Penn Entertainment a few months ago. Penn had purchased the brand in 2020 and operated sportsbooks under the Barstool name. However, last August, Penn entered into a partnership with ESPN, leading to the end of their association with Barstool. Portnoy acquired the Barstool brand back for $1 and is now its owner once again. Penn’s former Barstool sportsbooks have since relaunched under the new ESPN Bet brand.
Another recent development at Barstool is the announcement of Erika Ayers Badan stepping down as CEO after nearly eight years. Ayers Badan confirmed this news in a blog post last month, but it remains unclear if Barstool has a replacement ready. Prior to joining Barstool, Ayers Badan held significant positions at Bkstg, AOL, Demand Media, and Yahoo.
