In recent months, Barstool Sports has attempted to make the jump from an upstart, renegade site to a respected, professional multi-media outlet. It has toned down (but not eliminated) some of its more objectionable content, and began hiring big names away from other outlets.
On Tuesday, a site that recently proclaimed itself “a website by guys, for guys, for me” made its first full-time on-air female hire, bringing in Julie Stewart-Binks, who has worked at FS1 and ESPN. According to The Big Lead, she will have a role on the Barstool Tailgate Show, a weekly college football show that airs on Facebook Live, and will be featured in other Barstool programming as well.
Overwhelmed w/ all the messages about joining @barstoolsports – they're geniuses. we're creating really cool content. will still be at ESPN.
— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente/status/907617872154898434
Stewart-Binks will reportedly finish out her obligations at ESPN, where she serves as a sideline reporter for the network’s soccer coverage. She arrived at ESPN in December 2016 after three and a half years at FS1.
One of the most persistent criticisms of Barstool has been over its treatment of women. The site maintains a “girls” section of its website in which it spotlights half-naked college women and recently drew criticism for a (since-deleted) post about an Ohio State hockey player whom they labeled the “hottest college athlete in America.” Barstool is run by a female CEO and has had plenty of female guests and contributors, but until Monday did not have any women in full-time on-air positions. Stewart-Binks will be the first.
Feels like every men's league team I've joined. https://t.co/gXkiIcBafS
— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) September 12, 2017
The show Stewart-Binks will work on, the Barstool Tailgate Show, aptly represents the transition Barstool seems to be undergoing. It will feature controversial Barstool founder Dave Portnoy and will surely include plenty of the low-brow, frat-boy humor the site is known for. But it will also feature a veteran broadcaster in Stewart-Binks, alongside a former athlete in ex-NFL punter Pat McAfee, making it, in some ways, not so different from typical sports studio shows.
About Alex Putterman
Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.