🚨 Dave Portnoy Opens Up About WNBA Backlash — Controversy Reaches Boiling Point

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has never shied away from controversy. But after recent remarks and a planned appearance on the WNBA content creators StudBudz, he’s facing a firestorm from fans—especially supporters of Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky star he has frequently criticized.

🎙️ How the Crisis Began: StudBudz Invite Sparks Outrage

Minnesota Lynx guards Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, known as StudBudz, gained massive attention during the WNBA All-Star weekend for their 72-hour Twitch stream. But things took a turn when Portnoy, a known critic of Angel Reese, publicly praised their stream — leading to them inviting him on their show.

Despite his role in boosting their reach—Portnoy tweeted that StudBudz had done “more marketing for the @WNBA… than the bozos running the league have done since its inception”Nypost+15SI+15Sportskeeda+15—fans pushed back hard.

Reese fans and WNBA followers criticized not only Portnoy’s presence but StudBudz’s decision to provide a platform to someone who openly disparages their star. In response, Williams insisted they had spoken with Reese beforehand, asserting:

“Angel—she knows we don’t play about her AT ALL. End of story.”Talksport+1Reddit+1Sportskeeda+1Gay Pride – LGBT and Queer Voices+1

Williams added that Portnoy will be confronted during the stream:

“We’re gonna ask him, ‘Hey Dave, why are you talking about Angel like that? Because we love her, bad.’”Gay Pride – LGBT and Queer Voices+2SI+2Sportskeeda+2

🗣️ Portnoy Fires Back: “W Fans Are Freaking Nuts”

On the show, Portnoy defended StudBudz, stating:

“People are big mad at Studbudz just cause we talked. W fans are freaking nuts… I love them. I love the league. Yeah, I don’t like Angel and I love Caitlin. It’s called sports.”Reddit+15SI+15Sportskeeda+15

He described WNBA fan hostility as “crazy,” claiming that many fan objections were rooted less in game critique and more in personal dislike. Portnoy didn’t mince words:

“A lot of them really, really hate my guts. It is a crazy league. They want more money… they gatekeep who can watch it. If you’re white, they think you’re racist. It’s f**king crazy.”Sportskeeda+3Sportskeeda+3Talksport+3

⚾ The Reese-Rivalry That Never Sleeps

Portnoy has long cultivated his identity as a Caitlin Clark superfan and vocal anti-Reese commentator. He’s repeatedly called Reese an “instigator, agitator, and jacka––” and argued that most of the negativity toward her is sports-based, not racialSportskeeda+15On3+15Gay Pride – LGBT and Queer Voices+15.

When WNBA investigations were launched into alleged racist commentary from fans during a Fever–Sky game, Portnoy dismissed them as overreactions:

“Unless something happened, which I know it didn’t… by acknowledging ‘We don’t condone hate,’ you’re lending credence to this rumor… Crowd at the Fever game: little girls, families… nice crowd.”Talksport+15Fox News+15Sportskeeda+15

He said he would apologize “if I’m wrong,” but insisted there was no legitimate evidence of abuse—only trolls and rumors.Sportskeeda

📊 Why It Matters: Star Power, Bias, and Brand Dynamics

🔥 1. Fan Sentiment vs. Media Narratives

Portnoy’s commentary plays like an attempt to amplify the growing divide within WNBA fandom: those obsessed with Clark vs. users who embrace Reese or broader league narratives. That tension bubbled over when he accepted StudBudz’s invitation, leading many fans to accuse him of racism and disrespect toward a rising star.

🔍 2. Free Speech vs. Platform Responsibility

StudBudz justified giving Portnoy airtime by framing their approach as “open dialogue.” But fans disagreed—arguing that inviting someone with a track record of hateful commentary about Fraser-stud Reese is careless, no matter the intent. The backlash reveals expectations emerging around platforms taking responsibility for who they amplify.Nypost+10Gay Pride – LGBT and Queer Voices+10Sportskeeda+10

💡 3. The Power of Branding and Public Persona

Portnoy is unapologetically polarizing: he champions Clark and her cause while actively attacking Reese’s brand. But that isn’t just sports talk—it’s shaping public perception and affecting the marketplace of opinions. His recent praise for Reese’s trademarking of “Mebounds” was a rare exception, signaling grudging recognition of her business acumenSportskeeda+1Nypost+1.

🧠 What Fans Are Saying

On Reddit and elsewhere, comments reflected frustration:

“Dave and Dan yelling over each other over the WNBA was some great content…”
“Are people like Dave finding the smallest thing to hate on Reese for? Feels disingenuous.”RedditReddit

Other fans condemned Portnoy’s language used toward Reese and called out racial double standards.

From Newsweek and Reddit:

“The way Dave Portnoy actually speaks on Angel Reese is disgusting and weird as f**k.”Talksport+15newsweek.com+15Sportskeeda+15

🏛️ Portnoy Beyond the Controversy: His Influence and Power

Despite—or perhaps because of—the controversy, Portnoy remains a commanding presence. He recently touted backing higher WNBA player salaries, arguing that the league’s growth supports greater compensation and even explained he’d invest $250M to bring a team to BostonFox News+3Talksport+3Nypost+3.

He also called critics of increased pay “morons,” calling out the absurd disparity between athletes’ value and their compensation. He praised the league’s growth—TV deals, expansion, star appeal—and reinforced Clark’s central role in driving revenue growth.Nypost

📅 What’s Coming Next?

StudBudz Episode: They will confront Portnoy live: expecting questions like “Why do you hate Angel?” from Williams and Hiedeman.Talksport+9SI+9Sportskeeda+9

Fan Reaction: Exhaustive commentary threads, calls for bans (like the closed petition with over 1,000 supporters), and rising skepticism toward mainstream platforms giving Portnoy airtime.