Sporcle vs Barstool Yak: The Beef You Didn’t See Coming

In our years as Barstool fans, enthusiasts, and stoolies, we have been a part of some all-time beefs. Some local, others national even. One I think we can all agree on that we didn’t see coming was Sporcle’s sudden turn on the lovable show Barstool’s The Yak. One of Barstool’s mainstays for over 5 years a daily show dating back to the Sirius XM days has maybe one of the most well-rounded audiences in the Barstool universe. Known for comical bits, wheels, and partaking in internet trends.

A few years back, the show began to incorporate Sporcle, which is a website built for trivia nerds, geeks, and lovers. If you can name it, I’m pretty sure they’ve got a quiz about it.

The Yak, at first, way back in its New York days, made it a contest of last man standing with random quizzes. Then, when moving to Chicago, they created what they like to call the "Yak Gauntlet" a timed run by a single person of various athletic feats, with a Sporcle at the end for the contestant to guess 10 random answers. Thus giving Sporcle free advertising on a daily show for the better part of two years now. Yak listeners even joined the sporcle community to make new quizzes meant for the Gauntlet but fun for all.

Stories like that from this man Doug Wanoy, is what has made the Sporcle & Yak relationship so important over the past few years. I mean real moments, real change. WOW.

Now, if you are a Barstool hater who somehow has stumbled upon this blog, you might be thinking: "How much advertising can a show of Barstool bros really give Sporcle?" OH, wait...who is that? Paul Skenes, Cam Newton, Julian Edelman, Gunnar Henderson, and Will Compton (who by the way has his own museum so he HAS to be a big deal) among MANY others have all run such Gauntlet, and finishing by doing a what…? SPORCLE! These are all Hall of Famers or potential Hall of Famers who surely usually charge a sum for such advertisements.

Through ALL of the uhhh let’s say 300+ Gauntlet runs, with Sporcles at the end of each one, not one statement had been made showing any signs of animosity towards The Yak.Then comes SporcleCon, an event in the city of Chicago, The Yak’s backyard! This seemed like a huge opportunity for both sides. The Yak and Sporcle then of course linked up and made plans for a live ticketed show leading up to the opening night of SporcleCon. This sounds awesome and win-win for ALL!

Here come the TROLLS… A Facebook group made for SporcleCon caught wind of this Barstool connection to their beloved and morally just Sporcle quizzes. A FEW expressed their concerns and even the potential of boycotting anything Barstool-related. Citing Barstool’s owner Dave Portnoy’s past and other personalities’ womanizing comments among other saddening insults. Also adding that Sporcle doesn’t align with such beliefs (evidence otherwise shown below...).

Now, this was not hundreds of people no no no, it was a small group. Either way, Sporcle bent the knee:

Banning The Yak from SporcleCon, yes after all the positivity they’ve brought to the Sporcle community this a dark day in their history. And of course, as expected, our friends on The Yak did not take it lightly upon hearing the news.

Thus, now unfortunately, a few trolls have created a huge rift and even a beef you could say between the once beloved Sporcle and Yak. Chicago office leader Big Cat has asked us not to sink to these individuals’ level, as that’s what they want. He does make the best point, though, on why Barstool fans get angry at these exclusions time and time again: It always comes from those who speak of inclusion, a chance for all… yet when they don’t like something or maybe just misunderstand it...it’s straight to BAN!

It is a sad day for all of us in thick of The Yak lore. Is this the end of the Gauntlet as we know it?

Or what about the random summer episodes filled with fun moments of the squad playing Sporcles for hours are they now just a thing of the past too? Sporcle, in the coming days, has the chance to do something big for their brand and offer an olive branch(history teacher term) to The Yak. I mean lets be honest ho knows who could come through that office next to run the Gauntlet...Glen Powell? Shane Gillis? Sydney Sweeney? Caleb Williams?

I’m sure Sporcle would LOVE to have video of any of them playing some good old-fashioned fun trivia.