Dave Portnoy’s Ups and Downs Through the Years: From Founding Barstool to Biggest Controversies

Whether you love him or hate him, Dave Portnoy is a household name for sports fans.

Portnoy rose to fame after founding Barstool Sports in 2003. While the brand struggled during its early days of just being a newspaper, Portnoy has since turned it into a major media company with a huge social media presence. (Barstool Beach House, anyone?)

Over the years, Portnoy has become known for his controversial presence online but has also gained a massive following for his One Bite pizza reviews. Whatever corner of the internet you’re on, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of Portnoy.

Keep scrolling to look back at the Barstool founder’s ups and downs over the years:

Founding Barstool Sports

Portnoy launched Barstool as a weekly newspaper in 2003, eventually turning it into a blog in 2007, which is when its internet dominance started. The company was founded in Milton, Massachusetts, before moving to New York City in 2009.

One Bite

The businessman is most known for his One Bite pizza reviews, which started in 2013. Since then, Portnoy made an app (and merch) for that subsection of his brand to keep track of what he scores a pizza place after eating there.

Super Bowl LIII

Portnoy was escorted out of the Super Bowl media night in 2019 after revealing via social media that he had created a fake press credential. Days later, he was dragged out of the stadium during the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams matchup by security. He was charged with criminal trespassing and told that he could not return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for a year.

The ‘Call Her Daddy’ Drama

“Call Her Daddy” unraveled in 2020 when hosts (there were two at the time) Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn had a contract dispute with Portnoy. Cooper explained what went down in a May 2020 episode of the show after she and Franklyn decided to part ways.

They initially signed a “three-year deal,” making $75,000 each, but received a pay raise each year. They eventually started shopping the podcast around to other networks when Franklyn’s then-boyfriend allegedly claimed they deserved $1 million. Portnoy met with both women and offered them $500,000 and ownership of the show. Cooper took the deal, but Franklyn did not.

His Sex Tape

In April 2021, a sex tape of Portnoy and a woman named Sydney Raines was leaked online.

“I didn’t have a moment of my heart dropping or panic until my mother said we needed to talk. But she ended up being supportive,” Raines told The New York Post of the video, which was recorded in July 2020. “A lot of friends started checking in, and Dave reached out multiple times to make sure I was OK.”

The Allegations — And His Denial

Portnoy sued Insider in April 2022 over an apparent “hit piece” published months prior, alleging that he engaged in “traumatic” sex with multiple women and filmed them without their consent. Portnoy denied the allegations.

“I’m willing to blow up my own ship as long as everybody I hate sinks with me too. There will be no settling,” he wrote at the time. “No amount they can pay me to get them off their backs. I won’t rest till I put these people out of business.”

The suit was dismissed in 2022, and Portnoy filed an appeal, which he dropped in 2023.

Silvana Mojica Split

A November 2023 episode of Portnoy’s “BFFs” podcast confirmed that he and Mojica had split after three years of dating.

“I guess you get to a point where you think maybe there’s a difference in what somebody wants and what the other person wants and without going into too much detail, I just didn’t think I could give Silvana kind of what she deserves,” he said.

Miss Peaches

Portnoy adopted his dog Miss Peaches from the LifeLine Animal Project in Atlanta in February 2024 and created merch that raises money for the shelter. Peaches has become a celebrity in her own right, even getting her photo on Lucky One Vodka Lemonade cans.

Zach Bryan Feud

Following Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia’s split from Bryan in October 2024, Portnoy revealed that the country singer “hates my guts” on the “BFFs” podcast.

Portnoy and fellow “BFFs” host Josh Richards wrote a diss track about Bryan called “Smallest Man,” taking shots at the singer’s looks, height and tattoos in the lyrics.

“Country-singing boss baby, get that boy a snack,” Portnoy sang on the song. “Throw another temper tantrum, it’s time for a nap.”

Money Comments

Portnoy claimed in April 2025 that his net worth is an estimated $150 million.

College Football Drama

It was announced in July 2025 that Portnoy was set to host Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff, but apparent drama with the Ohio State University became an issue.

It was reported that Portnoy had been barred from Ohio Stadium for an August 2025 broadcast, with the school releasing a statement.

“Fox representatives informed the department that the only talent who would be inside Ohio Stadium for the last hour of the show would be their main set/desk talent team,” the statement read. “They informed us that David Portnoy is not part of their ‘main desk’ crew. Ohio State did not ban anyone from our stadium.”