Ohio State has denied a report that Dave Portnoy is banned from Ohio Stadium.
Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel reported Monday that Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and an outspoken Michigan fan, had been banned from entering Ohio Stadium for Saturday’s season opener against Texas. Ohio State athletic director denied that report’s claim in a comment to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger on Tuesday.
Bjork confirmed to Dellenger that Portnoy will make his debut as an analyst on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff show Saturday. However, he will not be in the stadium for the show’s final hour, which Bjork clarified is a FOX decision, not an Ohio State decision. Dellenger later reported that the Big Ten does not expect Portnoy to appear inside the stadium of any school this year.
A Big Ten spokesperson tells @YahooSports that it is the leagues understanding from Fox that Dave Portnoy will not appear on Big Noon Kickoffs main stage inside the stadium of any conference school this year. https://t.co/qODvfqfFaA
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 26, 2025
An Ohio State spokesperson told Eleven Warriors that Portnoy is not banned from Ohio Stadium. FOX representatives informed Ohio State during planning meetings that Portnoy is not a member of the “main desk” for Big Noon Kickoff and therefore would not be inside the stadium for the final hour of the show as well as FOX’s halftime and postgame shows.
Portnoy has been a frequent critic of Ryan Day and Ohio State, particularly over the past four years as Michigan has won four straight games against the Buckeyes. Before Ohio State’s College Football Playoff game against Tennessee last December, Portnoy arranged for a plane to fly over the stadium carrying a banner that read “Extend Ryan Day #GoBlue.”
Day ultimately got the last laugh, earning a seven-year contract extension worth $12.5 million per year after Ohio State won the national championship, but the alleged ban will likely only lead to more trolling from Portnoy.
When Front Office Sports initially posted its report to X, Portnoy responded with a picture of himself sporting a fake mustache. That tweet prompted a response from former Michigan sign stealer Connor Stalions – who violated NCAA rules by arranging for people to attend 52 games between 2021-23 to illegally scout opponents and film their signals on Michigan’s behalf – asking Portnoy if he needed tickets.
You need tickets?
— Connor Stalions (@cpstalions) August 26, 2025
