YOU DOWN.
♪ YOU'RE THE BEST AROUND,
NOTHING'S GOING TO EVER KEEP YOU
DOWN.
>> MARIA: TUESDAYS ARE FOR THE
BOYS, TODAY ON MARIA
BOYS, TODAY ON MORIA
BOYS, TODAY ON MORNINGS WITH
MARIA.
THERE'S AN INTERNET CULTURE THAT
IS INCREASINGLY POLITICAL
CORRECT.
JOINING US RIGHT NOW, BAR STOOL
SPORTS FOUNDER, DAVE PORTNOY AND
ERICA NARDINI.
GREAT TO SEE YOU BOTH.
DO YOU LIKE THE PLAY ON WORDS?
>> VERY NICE.
>> MARIA: BAR STOOLS RECENTLY
MADE HEADLINES BY DEFEATING THE
NFL OVER A SLOGAN TURF WAR.
>> SATURDAY IS FOR THE BOYS,
THAT BECAME POPULAR.
THEY SOLD T-SHIRTS WITH THE
SLOGAN ALTERED WITH TEAM NAMES
ON IT.
THEY SUE US FOR ANYTHING THAT IS
BORDERLINE, THEY THINK IS
INFRINGING, COLOR SCHEMES,
ANYTHING.
WE SENT THEM A CEASE AND DESIST
AND THEY ROLLED OVER.
>> MARIA: GOOD FOR YOU.
YOU'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH.
HOW ARE YOU DONE IT?
HOW HAVE YOU GARNERED SUCH
LOYALTY.
>> WE STARTED WITH A GREAT BASE.
DAVE STARTED IN 2004 AND BUILT
AN AUDIENCE WITH A DEFINED
VOICE.
WE BUILT IT INTO A BIG BRAND
THAT'S RESONATING.
>> PEOPLE ARE SICK OF THE
ENVIRONMENT OF SPORTS COVERAGE
AND IT'S P.C. OR IT'S OUTRIGHT
POLITICAL.
HOW HAVE YOU TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
THAT?
HOW THAT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AS
YOU BUILD THE BRAND?
>> DAVID CONTROLS ALL OF OUR
EDITORIAL.
WE HAVE A REALLY TALENTED TEAM.
WE CALL IT LIKE WE SEE IT.
WE AREN'T INTERESTED IN BEING
P.C.
WE AREN'T INTERESTED IN BEING
PACKAGE.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN BEING
AUTHENTIC.
THAT'S HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
WIN, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
>> DAGEN: IN TERMS OF ALL THE I
GUESS APPROACHES OR CHANNELS
THAT YOU USE WHETHER IT'S
PODCAST, TV SHOW, SATELLITE,
RADIO, WHAT'S NEXT IN TERMS OF
DISTRIBUTION, DO YOU THINK?
LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS,
WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE LESS AND
WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE MORE?
>> IT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE HARDER THINGS
FOR US.
WE HAVE A FAIRLY YOUNG DEMO
RELATIVELY SPEAKING, COLLEGE TO
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL.
>>> IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING.
WE HAVE TO BON TOP OF THEM,
SNAPCHAT, INTRAY TAKE
SNAPCHAT, INSRAY TAKE
SNAPCHAT, INSTAY TAKE
SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRTAKE
SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRAMKE
SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRAM,E
SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK
THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT TEAMS
ON EACH.
ONE DAY SNAPCHAT IS THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF ALL OF
THEM.
>> MARIA: IT'S ALSO MERCHANDISE
AND RETAIL, BIG REVENUE DRIVERS.
>> HER.
MAY
MEY
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FC
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FB
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FO
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FK
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FV
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FR
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FS
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FI
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FS
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FA
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FR
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON FM
MERCHANDISE MAY MOVE BETTERON F.
I'M SURE THE NEXT ONE THAT WE
DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET, IT'S JUST
EVERYTHING EVOLVES.
>> DAGEN: IS IT HARD TO FIND
TALENT?
AS YOU GET BIGGER, IT'S HARDER
TO FIND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT
RIGHT VOICE FOR YOU GUYS AND
GALS.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT THE HARDEST
THING IS?
WE'RE A COOL PLACE TO WORK FOR
YOUNG GUYS AND GIRLS BUT, YOU I
MEAN, LOOKING OUTSIDE OF SPORTS,
ENTERTAINMENT, IT'S GIRLS, IT'S
GUYS, IT'S ALL THAT, IT'S A FUN
PLACE.
IF YOU
WE YOU
WE'ROU
WE'REU
WE'RE A COOL PLACE TO WORK.
THE HARDEST PART IS MAKING SURE
WE DON'T MISS TALENT.
>> YOU'RE NOT JUST COVERING
SPORTS BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY
CREATING THE EVENTS.
YOU OWN COMPETITIONS THAT YOU
RUN AND COVER.
>> MARIA: AND MARCH MADNESS TOO.
>> WE PRODUCE 200 PIECES OF
CONTENT A DAY ACROSS SIX
DIFFERENT PLATFORMS, 17
DIFFERENT POD CASTS, SO WE HAD A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONTENT.
SOME OF IT'S SPORTS.
SOME F IT'S NEWS.
SOME OF IT'S COMEDY.
SOME OF IT'S LIFESTYLE.
SOME OF IT'S A REALITY SHOW.
THAT'S PART OF THE FORMULA THAT
MAKES BAR STOOL SUCCESSFUL.
WE'RE UNEXPECTED AND WE'RE IN
PLACES THE AUDIENCE CARES ABOUT,
TALKING ABOUT THINGS THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN AND WE DO IT BY
VIRTUE OF WHAT FEELS RIGHT ON
OUR END.
>> MARIA: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO
CRITICS WHO WILL PUSH BACK ON
BAR STOOL AND SAY THAT IT'S
SEXIST, AS A WOMAN RUNNING THE
FIRM.
>> I'VE MAINTAINED BAR STOOL AS
THE LEAST SEXIST COMPANY I'VE
EVER WORKED FOR.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CULTURE THAT'S
INSIDIOUS.
I THINK YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THE
PROBLEMS IN CORPORATE AMERICA
AND IT'S BECAUSE COMPANIES ARE
INSIDIOUS.
WE'RE NOT SEXIST.
BUT WE'RE NOT P.C. AND WE'RE NOT
GOING TO SHADE WHAT WE DO AND
COVER IT.