After Mary Kate Cornett implicated Barstool Sports in an unverified rumor that disrupted her life, Dave Portnoy felt compelled to highlight his company’s role. The Barstool founder and CEO sought acknowledgment for the way personalities like Jack McGuire (Jack Mac) and Kevin Clancy (KFC Barstool) responded to the surrounding internet frenzy, noting their actions took place outside of official Barstool channels. Portnoy even questioned Pat McAfee’s comments on ESPN regarding the matter, contrasting it with Barstool’s decision to largely avoid the rumor on its platforms.
However, Portnoy is now changing his stance. During an appearance on NBC Nightly News, he issued an apology to Cornett just days after recognizing the potential for legal repercussions despite what he described as the company’s restraint in not publishing or promoting the story. This situation has evolved into a larger commentary on Barstool’s editorial principles. According to NBC’s Tom Llamas, Portnoy has been “working to up Barstool’s editorial standards” following the incident and admitted that it was “really stupid” for his employees to amplify the rumor, even if it was done through personal channels.
Dave Portnoy says he’s “worked to up Barstool’s editorial standards” in the wake of the viral Ole Miss student rumor, and that he hopes to pursue mediation with Cornett’s lawyers & avoid a lawsuit.
This comes after Pat McAfee spoke on the situation for the first time last night. pic.twitter.com/17QVSHj00G
— Sports TV News & Updates (@TVSportsUpdates) April 10, 2025
Yet, the Daily Mail reports that it was not solely Barstool personalities acting independently. Charles Nicholas Longley (Nicky Smokes) allegedly shared commentary about the anxious student on an official Barstool Sports social media account, with the Daily Mail revealing that he posted the allegations in a now-deleted clip on the official “Barstool U” Instagram account. Barstool’s editorial standards have historically dwelled in a gray area—more reactive than proactive and guided by vibes rather than policy.
Despite this, Dave Portnoy has not always overlooked issues. He dismissed Francis Ellis in 2019 over a since-deleted blog post regarding a missing college student, although Ellis has since returned to the company. While Portnoy claims to be increasing oversight, the situation highlighted obvious gaps in Barstool’s editorial protocols. Even with his praise of the company’s decision to refrain from covering the rumor officially, the participation of a Barstool-run account indicates that not everyone received the memo.
