Barstool was first launched as a black and white newspaper in Boston back in 2003. Now they are listed as “a digital media company that applies comedy and satire to pop culture, politics, gorgeous women, trending internet topics and of course, sports.”
Demographics:
- 200 million global monthly page views
- 7 million global monthly unique visitors
- 2,168 sites linking Barstool sports
- United Sates – 95.6% of visitors
- Canada – 2.3% of visitors
- United Kingdom – 0.6% of visitors
- Barstool Sports App:
- #22 App in sports category (United States)
- Previously #2 app
The ability for sports brands to use this platform is limited. Since Barstool lists themselves as a media outlet, the content on their website comes directly from employees. Large sports brands are able to advertise on their website or app which will beneficial to companies targeting males in their late teens and early twenties. A unique way in which teams can use the app is through player interviews and content. Professional athletes are frequent guests to Barstool, whether through an interview for an article, a video series, or a podcast, teams can gain recognition through one of their players engaging with Barstool.
Barstool has made a lot of their money through advertisements as well as their online store. The website and mobile app both feature a store section where people are able to purchase a wide variety of sport related goods, such as apparel and flags. As any good mobile app is doing now-a-days, Barstool has a lot of advertisements on their website and app. With their heavily concentrated demographics, companies are willing to pay up in order to be featured on their platforms. Also, in 2016, the company was bought at a $10 to $15 million valuation. Barstool also ran a TV show on Comedy Central, they have multiple radio shows, and a large following across their many social media accounts. Barstool’s annual revenue is somewhere around the $10-20 million range but they were already given a $15 million investment from the Chernin Group early this year.
Barstool is currently facing a few competitors in the market. In the sports world, the company has to battle the market giants such as ESPN, CBS sports, and NBC sports. Barstool made a name for themselves by putting a comedic tone on their reporting and some outlets are following in suit. Their direct competition comes from sites like BroBible, Deadspin, and The Big Lead. While Barstool does not hold a lot of capital, they can largely operate without much. The biggest source of their content comes from articles and videos made by their staff that only comes at the cost of an employee salary.
Sources:
https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/barstoolsports.com
https://www.similarweb.com/website/barstoolsports.com#websiteMobileApps
http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-barstool-sports-bizarre-acquisition-announcement-2016-1
http://variety.com/2018/digital/news/barstool-chernin-investment-1202674676/