Barstool Sports activities founder Dave Portnoy introduced Wednesday that standard host Ben Mintz was fired from the corporate after saying a racial slur whereas studying rap lyrics on a livestream earlier this week.
Portnoy mentioned the choice was made by Barstool’s mum or dad firm, Penn Leisure, regardless of protestations from himself, Barstool CEO Erika Nardini and longtime expertise Dan Katz that Mintz had made an trustworthy mistake.
“This morning, I made an unforgivable mistake slipping on air whereas studying a tune lyric,” Mintz tweeted Monday morning after studying the slur aloud throughout his present “Wake Up Mintzy.”
“I meant no hurt & have by no means felt worse about something. I apologize for my actions. I’m actually sorry & ashamed of myself.”
Penn acquired 36 percent of Barstool Sports from The Chernin Group for $163 million in early 2020, and acquired the rest of the corporate for a further $388 million this previous February.
Portnoy mentioned that the mum or dad firm made the decision to fireplace Mintz over concern that the incident may jeopardize regulatory playing licenses throughout the nation.
“I hate the choice. I disagree with the choice. I might not have made the choice. However I don’t cope with the issues Penn offers with by way of state regulators and many others,” Portnoy advised The Submit in a direct message.
“Penn paid some huge cash for Barstool they usually need to make the perfect selections to guard their enterprise. I belief and respect [Penn CEO] Jay [Snowden] that he makes what he thinks is the fitting transfer and that’s all you may ask for. Doesn’t imply I’ll at all times agree however once more he offers with issues I don’t need to assume or cope with.”
Along with proudly owning Barstool Sports activities, Penn operates 43 brick-and-mortar casinos in 20 states below the manufacturers Ameristar, Boomtown and Hollywood On line casino.
Within the video asserting the firing, Portnoy expressed shock that this was a scenario that would have affected the corporate with regulators.
“They consider there’s a authentic probability a lot of states may pull their licenses due to this,” mentioned Portnoy, who himself has been at the center of a racial slur incidents.
“Penn’s a multi-billion greenback firm. With out their licenses, they’re a zero-dollar firm. Buyers, households, workers, hundreds of individuals — they consider it’s their job to guard all of this and the one reply is to fireplace Ben Mintz.
“I nonetheless disagreed with it, and perhaps I’m naive, however I’m like, ‘There may be simply no method anyone can have a look at the clip and assume the punishment matches the crime.’ It makes my pores and skin crawl considering a man would lose their job on an harmless mistake. Sure, horrible, however clearly no intent … It’s the whole lot I’ve stood in opposition to for 20 years.”
