I am Dave Portnoy Owner and Founder of Barstoolsports.com, the largest independently owned sports and humor blog on the internet.

We have City specific sites in Boston, New York, Chicago, Philly, and a College site at BarstoolU. We also run a nationwide concert tour.


I'll be here for the next 2 hours answering questions, after which I'll be going on our weekly Podcast which you can watch live Here. Ask Me Anything.

Comments: 1083 • Responses: 65  • Date: 

Hashtag_MakeMoves187 karma

What cereal does Renee taste like?

StoolPresidente147 karma


MSJ2108 karma

Can you put more videos on Youtube of you running around and trying to be athletic?

StoolPresidente191 karma

trying to be?

GBrenn87 karma


StoolPresidente270 karma

This one would take forever to reply. Should have written it first because I obviously knew it was coming. Truth is Jenna and I didn't have problems for 99% of the time she was here. When I hired her she cried she was so happy. She was working in a tanning salon. I told her I wanted to make her into a personality. Hence "Getting Weird with Jenna" videos and shit. Turned out she could write too. Gave her Stoolala. She'd do anything we ever asked. The second and I mean the second her first video hit she got weird. She'd come into my office once a week and say I was exploiting her because I wanted to make money off her. I told her that's why I hired her. She'd refuse to meet with advertisers who wanted to advertise. She tried to charge me 10K to appear in Quirk ad when I was paying her 50K a year as an employee. Still we got along because I thought she was just nuts. She hated blogging which she openly admits. She basically stopped working for me. Money was tight and I told her that as long as I could keep the lights on she'd have a job with us but if things got too tight she'd be the first to get the axe. I suggested she sell tshirts with her face on them and I'd front the money and she could keep all the profits beyond her salary. Long story short is once she thought she may be done at Barstool she went beserk making videos and doing all the things I'd always asked her to do. Despite all that I still would have left on good terms if it weren't for the last blog she wrote saying her succcess had nothing to do with Barstool and spitting in my face basically. This was despite us having a 2 hour heart to heart the day before. She talked about how she was getting fired and didn't know when Stoolala would be shut down. I offered to give her the site no strings attached. Just give it to her. Bottomline is I thought she painted me out to be a douchebag when all I did was help her. Now when people ask her how she got her start she says she was just making videos in a tanning salon. It's infuriating. It has nothing to do with money. She emailed me six months ago and apologized and I pretty much told her to go fuck herself

ishavemyarms66 karma

El Pres, we all want to know how much money you really make?

StoolPresidente92 karma

Do I have to answer honestly everything? Barstool netted about 500K this year give or take

Bruins1465 karma

Does Renee swallow?

StoolPresidente173 karma

I make her

WesDorne56 karma

Was Manzo fired or did he leave on his own? Is UB still alive? How much do you actually bet on your mortal locks? (If you actually bet on them.)

StoolPresidente31 karma

Manzo knew it wasn't working. He'd be the first one to admit it. 5K a game on mortals

__sam52 karma


StoolPresidente176 karma

Her last two presents for her birthday and christmas came from Chanel. We're going to St. Barths in March. She has 2 horses. She's okay with it as long as that shit keeps happening

pilotJR50 karma

Hey Pres, long time Stoolie. My question is about the business side of the Stool. Where do the majority of the profits of Barstool come from? Is it from ad revenue, the blackout tour, etc. How do the different sources of revenue make up percentages of the total revenue? Lastly, what, approximately, is the average pay of a Stool writer? (Of the main writers, e.g. KFC, Mo)

Thanks Pres.

StoolPresidente48 karma

Profits shirts, ads, blackout. Big on Blackout. Writers 60ish

DarkKnightXIII49 karma

What do you think of the comments section on Barstool? How often, if ever, do you look down that ugly dark hole of brave anonymous basement dwellers?

PS. I’m guessing your decision to always close the comments section for the Local Smokeshow of the Day was not accidental.

StoolPresidente48 karma

I read em a decent amount. Smokeshows couldn't exist with comments on. Girls are sensative. I am not

Nathaniel_Higgers47 karma


StoolPresidente262 karma

Would Bob Kraft be jealous if the Revolution made more money than the Pats?

grahamrod345 karma

Is Neil real or is he a heel character like something out of the WWF, because someone can't really be that unfunny. I mean Neil even rhymes with Heel

StoolPresidente64 karma

Neil is real. Kind of a squid in real life. He needs to play a squid on the blog since that's what he is. I think he's a decent writer though and gets a bad rap.

Lee_Marvin43 karma

is your horrendous neck slouch/posture caused by the weight of your nose?

StoolPresidente93 karma

I think it is related. No joke. I really do

marvh42 karma

How the hell did you end up at Michigan instead of UMass? I know plenty of people who went to UMass, and you, sir, strike me as someone who would have went to UMass.

StoolPresidente74 karma

My sister went to Michigan. She was a senior when I was freshman so I visited and loved it. I'm deceptivly brillinat

Kantoriffic40 karma

How often are you in contact with your lawyer, how many legal issues do you actually face, and are any of the legal threats that you laugh off on the site ever genuine?

Also, do you guys ever sue the jerkoffs who come at you?

StoolPresidente70 karma

KFC got us sued for 100 million. It's not over yet so we can't really talk too much about it. I am suing 2 people over blackout shit. We're getting sued by 2 people

p4j38 karma

How would you rank your blogging staff?

Why is KMarko stuck on BarstoolU instead of heading one of the biggest sites?

Why don't you make BigCat a grandfather offer to run Chicago since he's the funniest guy on the whole network?

StoolPresidente51 karma

Kmarko chose to go to the U originally. Smokesmash blew up. We needed somebody to run it. We tried to put Feits and Devlin there. They both sucked. That's how Kmarko ended up there. Little known fact about Big Cat. He was offered the Chicago job full time 2 years ago and turned it down.

sweens9034 karma

How many submissions for the smoke show of the day are received each day?

StoolPresidente53 karma


buschlatte32 karma

How did you meet the first lady?

StoolPresidente86 karma

I hired a promotional agency to hand out the newspaper at subway stations when we launched. She was one of the original girls. Told me Barstool was a horrible idea. No joke

wally284231 karma

How often do you get recognized when your out in public?

StoolPresidente73 karma

In Boston all the time. Every time I go out pretty much. Stoolies everywhere

drMONEYmd31 karma

You joke about being worth "internet dollars" but in all seriousness has barstool had any offers to be bought by a larger company? Have you figured out a way besides advertising to monetize the sites popularity long-term?

StoolPresidente128 karma

We have not had anything that I'd have legit. Always content comes up. Will we tone down what we do. I always say we won't. I'd rather figure out how to make money ourselves than change our tone. We are one of the last blogs of our size that has stayed true to what we do. I think that scares a ton of advertisors, investors aways. It's also why Stoolies like us I think

ChitzonDiques30 karma

How many chicks try to get stuffed by you personally at a blackout show?

StoolPresidente179 karma

Not as many as I'd like because I'm ugly. But if I was decent looking it would be insane

SFtoNYC28 karma

Pres - Big fan. Long time reader, first time, whatever.

With all the shit you spew on Barstool regarding how you'd love to bang other smokes or how many women you'd take down if you were single (which in 99% of the cases, wouldn't happen; but that's neither here nor there), is your wife able to always distinguish and separate the blog from real life? I can imagine there are a lot of "David we're married now..please tone it down with your obsession of Sophie Turner and her huge dump-shoot" moments. Does your stuff ever lead to blow-ups at home?

Keep doing it man...your stuff is epic.

StoolPresidente54 karma

Yes. The only time she's ever gotten mad at me was back in the Power Hour days with Mcshay and Elio on 1510 the Zone. Brady just started dating Gisele and I said she could knock on his door in her finest lingerie and he wouldn't give her the time of day. She didn't talk to me for like 2 weeks

WesDorne25 karma

Has Simmons ever reached out to you? I know you have mentioned how he has big timed you.

StoolPresidente52 karma

Yes. That's old school. He reached out when he though we had a chance to be influential so we wouldn't bash him. He ignored us when we were tiny. He's a thin skinned great writer who I don't read

DannyTorrance24 karma

Pres- Are you considering West Coast expansion? Specifically Los Angeles?

StoolPresidente29 karma

We're like Pat Hill. Anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Need to find the writers

FranklinTempleton24 karma

Were you required to hire a colored fella for the company or did you hire Mo completely on your own?

StoolPresidente72 karma

It was not required but I love having him. Feel like it gives me a ton of street cred. Like you know we got a black guy right?

sr87998524 karma

Who do you think is the best blogger (besides yourself?) Gotta be KFC.

StoolPresidente29 karma

I think they are all good. KFC is obviously created a character all to himself

burtsbeesfanatic23 karma

How many full-time employees are there? I know you, KFC, and probably sales guy are full time, but what about the other bloggers? Who among Big Cat, Neil, Kmarko, etc. have other jobs?

StoolPresidente30 karma

KFC, Sales Guy, Feits, Kmarko, Neil, Bob Blackout, Mo

_BuddyTheElf_23 karma

how many times a week do you jack off to Jenna's blowjob video?

StoolPresidente50 karma

I only beat off once to it

GeoffToff22 karma

What would you consider the best and worst moments/events in the history of the stool? As in a particular blog, blackout show, whatever.

StoolPresidente44 karma

Back To Stool at Umass had to be the best. It was a special moment in time that will never be replicated. Everybody who was at Hobart and the parties the night before know what I mean. The best and worst moments on the blog are all the same. Bradygate, KO Barstool. Whenever people are hating on us and equal number of people are defending us. That's the best

daveypageviews21 karma

favorite Phil Collins song?

StoolPresidente47 karma

Is this even a question? I can feel it coming in the air tonight

bjscott0521 karma

When is sophie turner gonna give you those promised GTA pics?


StoolPresidente25 karma

I'm beginning to hate her for that. She also said she had proof Kardashian's ass was fake that she was going to send me. No dice

Mucfry20 karma

What REALLY happened between you and Lord Lambert?

StoolPresidente26 karma

You don't want to know.

10footSamsquanch20 karma

What prevents you from getting laid by smokeshows more.... The first lady or your big nose?

StoolPresidente51 karma


ChillbroSwaggins120 karma

Did you ever find out who taped the huge dong to your door?

Also, is there a huge difference in revenue stream between the online ads and the Blackout tour? If so, which one is more profitable?

StoolPresidente23 karma

Yes. Blackout Tour kills it right now

HARD019 karma

MFK? Jenna Marbles, Beiber, Feitleberg

StoolPresidente45 karma

marry Biebes, fuck jenna, kill Feits

maverick_m8619 karma

Would you ever consider throwing a Barstool party in Canada? I bet Toronto and Vancouver would sell out instantly for a Blackout or Foam tour.

StoolPresidente68 karma

I want to but no joke everytime I bring it up Sales Guy rants and raves about how we'll never make it through customs whatever that means

jev4ns18 karma

What is the absolute worst publicity you have gotten? Brady's kids dick? Knockout Barstool?

StoolPresidente43 karma

The worst publicity we can get is that our Blackout Parties are dangerous which they aren't because venues get scared off. The other shit doesn't matter

TimeValueOfKarma17 karma

Fuck Marry Kill: Neil, KFC, Big Cat

StoolPresidente77 karma

marry kfc, fuck big cat, kill neil

TSaint17 karma

Love the site and the Blackout shows are legendary. You gotta come back to UCONN in the Spring. Questions: What sort of staff do you have at Barstool HQ? Besides the bloggers we always see (KFC, Feits, Mo etc.) how many other people are there working on the site, if any? Thanks and Viva La Stool!

StoolPresidente18 karma

that's pretty much it. We have a full time Blackout Guy. Sales guy who literally does nothing. We do have a couple interns

DarkKnightXIII17 karma

Do you have boundaries that you aren’t willing to cross on your website? Do you have a sorta “off-limit topics” guideline that all Barstool writers follow, or is it more of a “I know it when I see it” kind of thing? I’m specifically thinking of two events involving children- the Tom Brady photo scandal and your decision to close Barstool early on the day of the Newtown school shooting.

StoolPresidente27 karma

Know it when you see it. I think it all boils down to intent. Nothing should be said with the goal to really hurt people's feelings based on race or ethnicity or anything like that.

shartleist16 karma

Pageviews, do you hate Neil like the rest of the hardos that read barstool? Kid can't catch a break.

StoolPresidente47 karma

He is in a world of hurt. I try not to hate him but I get so many freaking hate emails about him it makes me start hating him.

chazzchili16 karma

Name some athletes/celebs that you know for sure read the stool

StoolPresidente46 karma

The entire NHL, most of the pats, there are lots

xdef2316 karma

Top 5 videos/internet phenomena that barstool has discovered?

StoolPresidente41 karma

Grayson Chance Miracle on Ice kid speech Bob Kraft Acting All of Jenna Marbles career

mikey_westside9315 karma

Hey Pres, i read the stool daily but when the fuck are you throwing a blackout boulder party????

StoolPresidente23 karma

we're trying

hobowithashotgun299014 karma

What came about of the Cheeseboy situation?

StoolPresidente43 karma

He's a punk ass bitch

gimmiedatt14 karma

If you could only watch one Boston sports team which would it be?

StoolPresidente30 karma

Impossible question. I guess gun to head Pats. Close #2 Celts

SlyGuy613 karma

Have you ever tried to reach out to the UMass administration to come back to the zoo where the stool belongs?

StoolPresidente28 karma

Yes. They despise us

pizzaplanet12113 karma

What are your work days like?

StoolPresidente16 karma

I pretty much wake up at 9 and write till 10pm. Lately alot more business stuff. Blackout contracts, looking for writers, trying to think of new ideas etc

JohnnyBGoode113 karma

Whats next for Barstool?

StoolPresidente25 karma

I have no fucking clue. We go where the wind blows. I'd love to find more writers though

BatchIntoGear12 karma

Hey Davey Pageviews, thanks for the AMA.

  1. With regards to the infamous "Howitzer-Gate", when exactly did you realize that you were in deep shit?

  2. What does the first lady think of some of the comments made about her in the comment section?

Fuck The Heat and Fuck SCOPE. UNH is begging to be blacked out, it needs to happen.

StoolPresidente47 karma

I came back to the office and Sales Guy told me I was getting crushed on WEEI. I asked him about what? Then the newstatins started calling. That's when I put on my starfish pinnie and knew it was time to go to war. That's how you can always tell when I'm ready for a fight like on Inside Edition. Starfish Swag is my battle armor. If I'm taking you seriously I wear normal clothes. If I'm in character and getting ready for a fight I wear purple

xXxNDTxXx12 karma

1) Is there anyone you can think of that has fans that constantly hate on the person they are fans of as much as stoolies?

2) Now knowing how the whole thing turned out, would you have handled that whole Howitzer thing differently? (If at all, also I thought it was hilarious fwiw...)

Edit: Please for the love of god do that rough and roudy brawl coverage

StoolPresidente29 karma

I would not have changed Bradygate for 1 second. And no I don't think anybody is as hated by their fans as I am, but they always defend me against outsiders

the_ginger_hunter11 karma

Why do you use a different format for barstoolu than the other cities, is it a different web hosting company? and if so why?

StoolPresidente50 karma

Because Square Zollo needed some dumb ass music thing that never should have been implemented

wacksoff11 karma

And who's your protege?

StoolPresidente34 karma

If I die KFC gets the keys to the kingdom. As far as who is the next El Pres for Boston I'm not sure yet. I'd love it to be Feits. Not sure he's there yet.

Jamese0311 karma

With SCOPE being out of the picture, do you see any way the blackout tour could come to UNH? If it makes any difference, NV concepts was the company the school let bring David Guetta and Avicii to come here, maybe they could help you out?

StoolPresidente16 karma

NV Concepts hates us because they want to be us. They tell schools not to work with us

nickp44411 karma

pres. is there going to be a barstool dirty south? and how goes the search for writers if so?

StoolPresidente16 karma

search goes shitty

bkess6710 karma

Great Prep School Face....

How much do you focus on the blog's comments and cater to their demands/attitudes?

StoolPresidente12 karma

I don't cater to their demands at all. But I will read it because I think some of them are really funny. So I look probably for same reason everybody else does. See if somebody said something good

brickkilledaguy8210 karma

how much monthly traffic do you get, by city and total?

StoolPresidente23 karma

5 million uniques a month. 30 million pageviews

CurrMakesYaPurr10 karma

What was the worst experience you had with either getting permission from a smokeshow or an upset family member of a smokeshow of the day?

StoolPresidente40 karma

Back when I lived at the First Lady's mom's house the dad of a smokeshow showed up and the way it was described to me is that if he had a gun he would have shot me. Luckily I wasn't there

BeardedAxWound9 karma

How hard do you get when athletes tweet you?

StoolPresidente15 karma

I could care less. That's why they like me. I think they get harder

recognizethat8 karma

Why do you consistently make typos in your write ups? Why is JMac an employee for you? Biel or Alba?

StoolPresidente26 karma

I fcuking forgot Jmac. He went full time Jan 1. I should announce that formally. Biel

spocksnuts7 karma


StoolPresidente17 karma

As long as it makes money

grux416 karma

How much does it cost you to put on your Blackout events? How much bank do you make from each on average?

StoolPresidente9 karma

It can vary. I can spend 10-100K to put on one. I can make the same

bigbuckhunt256 karma

Do any of the writers get any type of revenue share? KFC has to get some sort of back-ended compensation, no?

StoolPresidente10 karma

We just instituted this this year

ChitzonDiques6 karma

How and when do you make a decision to expand? Such as adding Philly and Chicago? It seems like a no brainer to add it in every major sports city, but that obviously can't be done all at once from a business standpoint.

StoolPresidente10 karma

Before the Blackout Tour I pretty much spend every penny I had. Now we have some buffer. But if I have money I'll hire a writer whenever I find one I think fits

FrancisGallagher3 karma

Pres, how much do these writers actually make? Is there a hierarchy according to how many comments/views they get? When are you going to venture out to the West Coast?

StoolPresidente5 karma