Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, recently made headlines when he terminated Ben Mintz, a content creator for the company, for using a racial slur during a live stream. Portnoy also accused Penn National, the company that acquired a stake in Barstool in 2020, of not taking responsibility for the incident.
The incident occurred during a live stream of a poker game on the Barstool Sportsbook app. Mintz, who was participating in the game, used a racial slur while talking to another player. The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.
Portnoy, who has been vocal about his opposition to cancel culture, initially defended Mintz and said that he did not believe the slur was intended to be racist. However, after facing backlash from fans and critics alike, Portnoy ultimately decided to terminate Mintz’s contract with Barstool.
In a statement announcing Mintz’s termination, Portnoy said, “We have zero tolerance for this type of language or behavior at Barstool Sports. It’s not who we are and it’s not what we stand for.”
Portnoy also took aim at Penn National, accusing the company of not taking responsibility for the incident. In a tweet, he wrote, “Penn National needs to step up and take responsibility for this. They own us. They need to own this.”
Penn National acquired a 36% stake in Barstool Sports in January 2020 for $163 million. The deal was seen as a way for Penn National to expand its presence in the sports betting market and attract a younger demographic.
Since the acquisition, Barstool Sports has continued to operate independently, with Portnoy retaining control over the company’s content and operations. However, the incident involving Mintz has raised questions about Penn National’s role in overseeing the company’s content and ensuring that it aligns with the company’s values.
In response to Portnoy’s accusations, Penn National issued a statement condemning Mintz’s use of the racial slur and reaffirming the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“We are deeply disappointed by the use of a racial slur by one of our content creators,” the statement read. “We do not condone this type of language or behavior and we are taking steps to ensure that it does not happen again.”
The incident involving Mintz and Portnoy’s subsequent actions have sparked a larger conversation about the role of companies in policing their employees’ behavior and speech. While some have praised Portnoy for taking swift action to address the situation, others have criticized him for not doing enough to prevent the incident from occurring in the first place.
Regardless of where one stands on the issue, it is clear that the incident has had a significant impact on Barstool Sports and its relationship with Penn National. As the company continues to navigate these challenges, it will be important for all parties involved to work together to ensure that Barstool Sports remains a leader in the sports media industry while also upholding its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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