Barstool Sports is known for its unique approach to internal business, frequently making editorial decisions and personnel changes public. Recently, this came to light when founder, owner, and CEO Dave Portnoy announced during the Bracket Busters NCAA Tournament upset team draft that the Barstool Backstage music podcast was canceled due to multiple copyright violation strikes.
Early in the 28-minute stream (around 2:30), hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Kevin Clancy discussed how such company-wide events often lead to someone facing job-related consequences from Portnoy. Katz humorously remarked, “Essentially, you just have to do this and Cyber Monday, and if you can survive those two days, you have a job for life at Barstool.” This comment became even more significant as the show progressed and the focus shifted to Dante Deiana, the host of Barstool Backstage, who was unexpectedly targeted by Portnoy. Around the 22-minute mark, Portnoy, teamed with Jon Gruden and Mike Katic, harshly criticized Deiana for the podcast’s repeated copyright issues, officially canceling the show. The feed included Deiana on Zoom, but he was silenced as Portnoy dismissed him, claiming, “These guys are so dumb, it’s really hard to wrap my brain around it. I got the text ‘Hey, for the 39th time, they posted copyright. So it’s on Dante to pay the legal fees.’”
Neither Portnoy nor Deiana addressed the incident on X, although Portnoy retweeted Barstool’s post on the matter. Meanwhile, Deiana retweeted an unrelated post from Portnoy that criticized Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer later that day. It’s notable that while Barstool has a history of parting ways with and later rehiring employees, such as Ben Mintz, these situations usually arise under different circumstances. The frequent corporate drama is often shared publicly, though generally without false statements, leading many to speculate that Deiana’s exit from the company may indeed be permanent.
This situation is not the first time Portnoy has publicly criticized Deiana or Backstage. Less than two weeks prior, Portnoy berated Deiana for retweeting former Barstool employee Michael Angelo, labeling him “a crazy f**k I had to yell at today” and expressing his frustration over copyright issues:
Afterward, Portnoy appeared on a Backstage podcast to further criticize Deiana, expressing disappointment that his earlier warnings went unheeded. Deiana later admitted his mistake regarding the retweet, saying, “Huge mistake, I own it, I obviously knew nothing about the backstory.” Interestingly, this turmoil comes at a time when Backstage appeared to be gaining momentum with high-profile music industry guests, including State Champs, O.A.R., and Chase Rice. Furthermore, Deiana partnered with Forward Hospitality to launch six 70’s-themed “Good Night John Boy” bars and clubs across the country, with endorsements from industry figures suggesting these ventures are well-received:
Dante and the Fwd team continue to create fun environments from scratch in several regions across the country. The branch of GNJB in Chicago is outstanding, plays a mix of music including disco, 90s, 2000s, and today. Exciting that it’s growing. https://t.co/t3QLDcBWYz
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) March 18, 2025
Barstool Sports has a track record of distancing itself from prominent figures, including Alex Cooper and Grace O’Malley, to name a few. Despite such separations, the brand has remained robust. The rationale of citing multiple copyright lawsuits is not uncommon, as many brands face similar challenges. However, it is particularly noteworthy that Barstool chose to sever ties with Deiana and Backstage at a moment when the latter seemed to be making headway. Portnoy’s public handling of the situation raises intriguing questions regarding the impact on their sponsorship by Experian, which could not have anticipated that their Bracket Busters event would coincide with a public firing. While they may not have signed up for this kind of publicity, the inherent drama could attract more viewers.
