What's Happening?
Fox Sports 1's morning show, 'Wake Up Barstool,' has been experiencing low television ratings despite the network's overall success during the 2026 World Cup. The show, which airs from Barstool's Chicago offices, debuted last year before the college football
season. Despite its popularity on social media, the show averaged only 19,000 viewers in June, according to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal. This is in stark contrast to the network's average of 885,000 viewers across its dayparts during the same period, marking the most-watched week in FS1's history. 'Wake Up Barstool,' featuring Barstool founder Dave Portnoy and other personalities, has not benefited from the World Cup's halo effect, which typically boosts viewership for other network programs.
Why It's Important?
The low ratings of 'Wake Up Barstool' highlight the challenges faced by niche sports programming in attracting a broad television audience, even when associated with a major network like Fox Sports 1. This situation underscores the difficulty of translating social media popularity into traditional TV viewership. The disparity in ratings compared to ESPN's 'Get Up!'—which averaged 426,000 viewers—illustrates the competitive nature of sports broadcasting and the importance of audience engagement strategies. The show's performance could impact advertising revenue and influence future programming decisions at FS1, as networks continuously seek to optimize their content offerings to capture larger audiences.
What's Next?
With the upcoming football season, there is potential for 'Wake Up Barstool' to see a ratings boost, as this period is traditionally significant for sports viewership. The show's producers may need to reassess their content strategy to better align with audience preferences and capitalize on the increased interest in sports during this time. Additionally, FS1 might explore cross-promotional opportunities or content adjustments to enhance the show's appeal and leverage the network's broader sports coverage.
