Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy slammed Penn National’s decision to fire employee Ben Mintz after Mintz repeated a racial slur while rapping along to a song May 1.
Barstool owners Penn National Gaming cited regulatory pressure behind Mintz’s firing, Portnoy said in a video announcement on Twitter. Portnoy railed against Penn’s decision in the six-minute clip, saying, “There is just no way anyone can look at that clip and think the punishment fits the crime. It makes my skin crawl, thinking a guy would lose their job on an innocent mistake.”
“It’s everything I’ve stood against for 20 years,” he continued.
Emergency Press Conference – Ben Mintz Has Left the Building pic.twitter.com/31faJrI6Op
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 3, 2023
Portnoy cited Penn’s position as a gambling company and their apparent concern that state regulators would pull their gambling licenses over Mintz’s speech. “They believe there’s a legitimate chance lots of the states would pull their licenses because of this,” Portnoy said. (RELATED: ‘What The F*ck Are You Doing?’: Barstool Sports President Says Biden Got Fleeced Trading The ‘Merchant Of Death’)
“From Penn’s perspective, better than risking the entire livelihood of the company on a fuck-up from Ben Mintz,” he continued.
Trial lawyer Robert Barnes disagreed with that notion and argued it was false. “Whatever lawyer told them that is lying. No state can legally revoke a sportsbook license because of somebody’s speech” he tweeted in response to Portnoy’s announcement.
“Nobody is ever pulling a gambling license for that,” according to JD Sharp, who covers sports betting on his radio show, The Vegas Take.
Complete hogwash. Whatever lawyer told them that is lying. No state can legally revoke a sportsbook license because of somebody’s speech.
— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) May 4, 2023
Penn’s stock price plummeted after the decision, losing over 11% in less than 24 hours. Portnoy said he tried to warn the company: “I told Penn … you risk alienating [our fans] … there may be nothing left to protect if you go through this.”
Penn acquired a 36% stake in Barstool for $163 million in 2020. The company purchased all of the remaining shares for $388 million in February. Portnoy addressed accusations that he sold out in a separate Twitter video May 3. “No fucking doy I sold out,” he said. “Yeah we sold the fuck out, and that’s what you do when you’re an entrepreneur. Still man, this decision sucks, I hate it, makes me want to puke.”
This message is to everybody calling me a sellout pic.twitter.com/frcA7bsTU9
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 3, 2023
Portnoy said he pulled an anti-cancel culture sweatshirt from the website’s store following Mintz’s firing.
Mintz apologized for the incident Monday. “This morning, I made an unforgivable mistake slipping on air while reading a song lyric. I meant no harm & have never felt worse about anything. I apologize for my actions. I am truly sorry & ashamed of myself,” he tweeted.
Mintz later said he was in good spirits, even revealing he got a phone call from the mayor of his favorite sports team’s home town.
Just got such a nice phone call from the Mayor Of Oxford @RobynTannehill & her husband Rhea
— Mintzy (@BarstoolMintzy) May 4, 2023