In recent years, parody accounts of Barstool Sports have become a social media phenomenon within colleges and high schools, serving as platforms for student-athlete recognition and memes. While these accounts have generated laughs and school spirit on gameday, they can also spark the potential for harm.
The popular sports media company Barstool Sports rose to popularity in recent years due to its podcasts and viral clips on social media led to students nationwide starting Barstool-style accounts for their own schools, creating content for important games. Although the students in charge typically use the school logos, the accounts are always unaffiliated with the actual school. But despite the fun aspects of the account, concerns arose about posts regarding another team’s players before games, where humor can sometimes veer into cruelty. Toxic jokes and personal remarks can turn what is meant to be entertaining, into a source of tension.
“I love how our school’s Barstool account hypes up the athletes and students,” WCHS junior Ryan Nudelman said. “It is nice to see the energy before games, and it brings a sense of school spirit throughout the day as opposed to just before the game.”
“The comments in some of their posts can get really toxic,” WCHS junior Ryan Nudelman said. “It is supposed to be fun, but it can turn into bullying fast. Our school’s account does not [post toxic content] as much, but we see it quite a lot from our main rivals like Wootton.”
While many enjoy the accounts, others have reflected on their more personal impact. Being featured in a post might be exciting for one person, but for another, it could be embarrassing or even hurtful. Especially as schools take initiatives to limit cyberbullying, these accounts raise a big concern since the individuals being posted usually do not know ahead of time about the posts, leaving them totally unaware until they hear about it or see it on social media.
“It is fun to look at when nobody individually is a target, but I imagine it would really sting when you become the one getting called out,” Nudelman said. “Some people do not realize how hurtful those jokes can be. Even though they are not meant to be mean, those accounts literally post embarrassing pictures and videos of specific people just to get likes. It can get nasty.”
Barstool Sports accounts are often seen as a reflection of general high school dynamics. They can unite students with shared humor and school spirit, but they can also reveal divisions among peers and communities.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” WCHS junior Massimo Lopez-Pineda said. “On one hand, it is entertaining when it is just school banter and not personal, but on the other, it can mess with the students instead of bringing us together.”
