Barstool Sports President and pizza connoisseur Dave Portnoy knows how to make head turns. With a network of 150,000 athletes, Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy has often been rumored to provide NIL deals through the Barstool Athlete program.

However, one individual, a diehard Miami Hurricanes fan since the 1980s and a member of the Barstool community, has been frequently speculated to have an NIL deal despite not being an athlete. So, in a recent update, El Presidente Portnoy shared a surprising twist, putting the rumors to rest.

Dave Portnoy shuts down NIL rumors

Dave Portnoy took to X to set the record straight on NIL rumors associated with Danny Boy Cane. He wrote, “So many people think Danny and I have an NIL deal. It has NEVER been discussed. Not once. Danny always speaks the truth.” The post was a repost by Danny Boy Cane, who shared in a video, “Alright, people listen. I know every time people keep asking me, do you have an NIL deal? I have addressed it time and again. I do not have a NIL DEAL. And I will never have one”.

He continued, “Okay, so let me put this to bed once and for all. There is no NIL DEAL, and there never will be a NIL DEAL with me. Period. End of story. Thank you.“ This message surprised many fans, as Danny Boy Cane is a familiar face in the Barstool community. So why did the NIL rumors emerge in the first place?

Why did the rumors emerge, centered on Danny Boy Cane?

Danny Boy Cane, often hailed as an internet sensation and a Miami Hurricanes superfan, has shared the space with Dave Portnoy and “Barstool Big Cat” Dan Katz. On October 12, 2022, he made his first appearance on the Dave Portnoy Show and has since been a part of most of Cane’s discussions with the hosts. In 2021, Barstool launched the “Barstool Athlete” program catered for collegiate athletes, giving them a chance to receive Barstool merchandise while in turn promoting the brand on their social media platforms.

This gave rise to a massive network of affiliate athletes with the program. Apart from this, in February 2023, Barstool launched its TwoYay NIL platform to connect college athletes with potential sponsor brands, advertisers, and agencies.

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Since the program is made for athletes but aims to expand beyond athletes in the future, rumors began to emerge, leading to Dave Portnoy and Danny Boy Cane finally putting them to rest.

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