We use Barstool Sports’ early history to show how a free local newspaper became an attention business. Dave Portnoy began with a few thousand dollars, about 100 Boston T-station news racks, and an old van; distribution, events, merchandise, bar revenue sharing, and beer or liquor partnerships created monetization paths beyond ads. The practical lesson is to build a concrete distribution habit, activate the audience in real places, and measure attendance, merchandise sales, repeat readership, or sponsor response rather than inflating reach.

[Barstool Turned a Free Newspaper Into a Local Attention Business](<https://www.first1000.co/blog/barstool-sports>)

Source observed: 2026-09-28T22:27:04.739Z. Last checked: 2026-10-19T01:22:16.076+00:00.

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