Pink Whitney is the pink lemonade vodka that began as a casual remark on a hockey podcast and ended up on liquor store shelves across the country. Because the bottle carries a Barstool logo and a hockey player’s name, many fans assume the podcast hosts own it. The real answer involves a family-owned winery, a licensing deal, and a media company.
Who Owns Pink Whitney in 2026?
Pink Whitney is made and owned by Gallo, the family-owned wine and spirits company based in Modesto, California, through its New Amsterdam Vodka brand. According to Gallo’s response to an industry code review, published in December 2025, Gallo developed the product and owns the formula, the bottle, and the labels, apart from the Barstool-owned artwork on them.
The Pink Whitney name and label designs are licensed to Gallo by Barstool Sports, and Gallo also licenses the publicity rights of Ryan Whitney. Gallo states that Whitney and co-host Paul Bissonnette are not part-owners of the brand. The financial terms of these deals have not been made public.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake / Rights | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallo | Owner and maker | Owns the formula, bottle, and New Amsterdam brand | Family-owned since 1933; based in Modesto, California |
| New Amsterdam Vodka | Parent vodka brand | Gallo’s vodka label | Launched in 2011; official vodka of the NHL |
| Barstool Sports | Licensor and media partner | Exclusive license of the Pink Whitney name and designs to Gallo (per Gallo) | Owned by Dave Portnoy |
| Dave Portnoy | Owner of Barstool | 100% of Barstool Sports | Bought it back from Penn Entertainment in August 2023 |
| Ryan Whitney | Namesake and podcast co-host | No ownership per Gallo; publicity rights licensed | Former NHL defenseman |
| Paul Bissonnette | Podcast co-host | No ownership per Gallo | Helped popularize the drink on air |
| Spittin’ Chiclets | Podcast | A Barstool property | Pink Whitney is its presenting sponsor |
Is Pink Whitney a Joint Venture With Barstool?
Some outlets, including Wikipedia, describe Pink Whitney as a joint venture between Barstool and Gallo’s New Amsterdam label. Gallo describes it differently: a product it owns, with an exclusive license from Barstool for the name and designs.
The difference matters because it separates who makes and sells the vodka from who supplies the brand name and the audience. Gallo does the first, and Barstool does the second.
How Pink Whitney Started
In October 2018, New Amsterdam became the presenting sponsor of Barstool’s hockey podcast Spittin’ Chiclets, as part of its wider deal as the NHL’s official vodka. During an ad read, Whitney said he mixes his vodka with pink lemonade, and listeners soon began ordering “Pink Whitneys” at bars. The brand tells its own version on its official brand story page.
New Amsterdam tested blends with the hosts and launched the bottled version in September 2019, as Forbes reported. Barstool’s then-CEO told ad buyers that about one million bottles sold in six weeks.
Who Is Gallo?
Gallo was founded in 1933 by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in Modesto and remains family-owned. It shortened its name from E. & J. Gallo Winery to simply GALLO in 2024, according to Wikipedia.
Gallo launched New Amsterdam Gin in 2007 and the vodka in 2011. Its spirits division also runs High Noon, the seltzer that Barstool promotes as well. As with Pink Whitney, Barstool is a marketing partner there rather than an owner.
Who Owns Barstool Sports?
Dave Portnoy owns Barstool Sports outright again. Penn Entertainment bought 36% in January 2020 for about $163 million, took the rest in February 2023, then sold it back to Portnoy for $1 in August 2023.
As of October 2026, Portnoy still holds it, per this ownership summary. The deal reportedly included a non-compete and Penn’s right to half the gross proceeds of any future sale.
Ryan Whitney and the Spittin’ Chiclets Crew
Ryan Whitney is a former NHL defenseman, picked fifth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002. He retired in 2015 and launched the podcast with Barstool’s Brian McGonagle in October 2016. Co-host Bissonnette also works as a contributor on NHL on TNT.
The podcast itself belongs to Barstool. Since January 12, 2026, its video episodes also stream on Netflix, after Barstool signed a multi-year deal in December 2025, according to this profile of Whitney.
How Big Is Pink Whitney?
One industry breakdown estimated more than 15 million bottles and over $100 million in gross sales, per The Hustle. These are estimates, not audited figures. A year after launch, Marketing Daily reported it was already leading its flavored vodka category, ahead of Smirnoff’s Red, White & Berry.
The vodka is bottled at 30% ABV (60 proof), lower than the standard 40%. A 750 ml bottle typically costs roughly $13 to $15, which keeps it in the sweet spot of the crowded food and beverage world.
What the 2025 Industry Review Added
The December 2025 filing came from a complaint about older Barstool posts featuring Pink Whitney. Gallo said it asked Barstool to remove them, and Barstool took them down on September 9, 2025. The review board found one violation each of two code provisions across those posts, and marked the matter resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Pink Whitney in 2026?
Gallo owns Pink Whitney through its New Amsterdam Vodka brand.
Q2. Does Ryan Whitney own Pink Whitney?
No, according to Gallo, which only licenses his publicity rights.
Q3. Does Barstool Sports own Pink Whitney?
No, Barstool licenses the name and designs to Gallo and owns the podcast.
Q4. Who owns Barstool Sports?
Dave Portnoy has owned 100% of Barstool since August 2023.
Q5. Who makes Pink Whitney?
Gallo makes it in California.
Q6. When did Pink Whitney launch?
It launched in September 2019, about a year after the October 2018 podcast remark.
Q7. How strong is Pink Whitney?
It is 30% ABV (60 proof).
Q8. Who owns New Amsterdam Vodka?
Gallo owns New Amsterdam, which it launched in 2011.
Pink Whitney is owned by Gallo through New Amsterdam Vodka. Barstool Sports, owned by Dave Portnoy, licenses the name and designs, and Ryan Whitney is the namesake whose publicity rights are licensed. According to Gallo, neither Whitney nor Bissonnette owns any part of the brand.
Official website: pinkwhitney.com
