Will Deion Sanders Succeed At Barstool Sports?

Barstool Sports established itself as a media conglomerate long ago. But the company’s blockbuster hiring of Deion Sanders further solidifies its status as an industry powerhouse, and could change the landscape for ex-athletes who want to work in the media once their playing careers are over.

Barstool announced Wednesday Sanders will join the company, with “Pardon My Take” hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric Sollenberger (PFT Commenter) making the announcement on their popular podcast. Sanders, a previous guest of the show, joined the episode to express his excitement about joining Barstool. “I had no idea when I went on with you guys last time that this would transpire so quickly,” he said.

Sanders recently left NFL Network after a reported contract dispute. The NFL Hall of Fame cornerback didn’t want to take a pay cut following 14 years at the network, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. Sanders has enjoyed a long career in TV, working as an analyst for CBS Sports and ESPN before joining NFL Network in 2006. So far, he’s followed the traditional media career path of other ex-NFL greats, spending most of his time at the analyst desk. Recently, Sanders has expressed interest in coaching.

At Barstool, Sanders will host his own podcast, “21st and Prime,” and will be a regular guest on “Pardon My Take” during NFL season. He will also star in videos for the company. His salary has not been publicly disclosed.

In an email, Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy said he expects Sanders to thrive at the company. “Deion is the ultimate entertainer joining the ultimate entertainment website,” he wrote. “He doesn’t care what people think about him. He just cares about putting asses in seats and nobody does it better than him.”

That theory will be tested. Though Sanders is the biggest name Barstool has ever brought aboard, he’s never led his own show. On TV, Sanders was part of elaborate productions involving multiple analysts and hosts. The format is heavily scripted and pre-planned, whereas podcasts are free-flowing. It will be interesting to see how Sanders builds his podcast and aims to separate himself in a saturated field. Fortunately for “Prime Time,” he will have an established team around him. Barstool is one the biggest podcast publishers in the country, producing two of the 10 most-downloaded podcasts, “Call Her Daddy” and “Pardon My Take.”

Barstool has previously brought in former NFL players with varying success. Ex-offensive lineman Willie Colon currently co-hosts the morning show on Barstool’s SiriusXM channel, and is an entrenched part of the network’s daily lineup. Former Colts punter Pat McAfee retired from the NFL to join Barstool in 2017, but left the company one year later, citing his disappointment with its business practices. (Currently, McAfee hosts a national sports talk radio show on Westwood One.)

Though Barstool operates with fewer creative restrictions than legacy media outlets, it’s become a sizable operation, running its headquarters out of New York City. Penn National Gaming purchased Barstool earlier this year, valuing the company at a whopping $450 million.

Since Sanders will be an employee of Barstool, he’ll receive the benefits of being affiliated with an established brand. But it is still a more entrepreneurial endeavor than sitting at the NFL Network post-game desk. Since many media companies ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic — NFL Media has not aggressively added talent this summer, for example — Sanders’ move to Barstool could prompt other former athletes to think more creatively about their media futures.

Ultimately, Sanders’ success at Barstool Sports will come down to whether he connects with the company’s younger audience. It’s fair to expect the opinionated Sanders to speak about more contentious issues, which could generate some controversy. Recently, Sanders criticized NFL players who opted out of the season due to concerns over the coronavirus.

With Barstool’s appetite for conflict, Sanders will presumably be given more leeway to delve into societal topics, if he so chooses. Portnoy has been at the center of the political debate in recent months, ranting about coronavirus restrictions in a viral video last spring. Last month, Portnoy conducted a friendly interview with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Given Sanders’ background, it’s likely he’ll primarily stick to football. But in order for his podcast and videos to draw audiences, he’ll have to arrive to the studio with more than charisma. Sanders will experience more freedom at Barstool, but also face more responsibility.