Barstool Sports Headquarters

Chicago, IL

With offices desiring to reinvent their spaces to attract and retain workers, multimedia sports and entertainment company Barstool Sports had a clear vision of what it wanted for its new corporate headquarters in relocating from New York to Chicago’s hip Fulton Market neighborhood. The result: an un-office concept designed to be a “fun-factory” for its talented and dynamic content creators.

CLIENT: Barstool Sports

TYPE: Corporate/Commercial

SIZE: 2-stories, 33,000 SF

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Delivering The “Wow”

Enlisted to bring the concept to reality, BKV refurbished the entirety of the 33,000-square-foot, two-story loft space, which includes a dozen podcast studios, three large broadcast studios, a fully equipped commercial kitchen, full-length basketball court and open-office seating overlooking the court for the companies’ approximately 60 employees to work, create, mingle, and of course, play.

BKV POV

“The energy on this project is palpable! It’s wonderful to have a client who challenges you to be your most creative, and for this project, the creative demand was an all-time high. Our concept focused on leveraging every inch of the space as a moment for content creation. We used continuously flowing circulation paths to draw employees to main hubs, which are comprised of a basketball court surrounded by beverage areas, a golf-sim, and a turf court for various games. The pathways through the space, which were meant to be just as special as the main event, are clad with branded wall installs and areas where teams can co-work or relax, ensuring that every inch was valued program space.”

– Jackie Wilcox, Director of Interior Design & Associate Partner

A Brand of Brands

With the popularity of Barstool Sports’ programming on YouTube, every nook and cranny in the new space has a visual purpose – from the multiple bar areas to the reception desk to the broom closest – which can all serve as backgrounds for a show broadcast or an impromptu Instagram moment from one the program’s hosts or a visiting celebrity guest. Strategically placed signage and digital screens adorn the walls throughout to promote corporate sponsors and other partners.

“Everything that we dreamed of and more”

Barstool and BKV didn’t just look at the new spaces as a great place to create content or broadcast fun shows, but as the gold standard in modern day corporate offices, where the office itself is an amenity and a destination where people want to be day-in and day-out. It can also serve as a model for other firms or companies wanting to reinvent or reinvigorate their spaces.