Barstool Sports’ Portnoy Starts Fund to Help Small Businesses
Image courtesy of Fox Business
December 29, 2020
Dave Portnoy is one of the most polarizing sports personalities, for lack of a better word, out there. The founder of Barstool Sports and a prolific gambler and day trader, Portnoy does not hold back punches. Multiple times throughout the pandemic, Portnoy has called out governors for closing indoor establishments. Most recently, he criticized New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio for closing indoor dining. Portnoy, however, instead of whining about it, put his money where his mouth is.
Portnoy kickstarted The Barstool Fund– a fundraiser designed to help as many small businesses from going under as possible. He set up an email where small business owners can send in their story and ask for the funds to keep their businesses afloat. Portnoy got the ball rolling by donating 500k of his own money. That being said, 500k can only help so many people. Thus, he took to Twitter asking, although it was more along the lines of demanding, everyone to donate to his fund:
Rest assured if you are rich and I consider you my friend I’m coming for you. It’s not if it’s when. Don’t make me chase you #barstoolfund
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 24, 2020
The Barstool Fund is approaching $7.5 million in direct money to small businesses.
Say what you want about Portnoy: an obsessive gambler, obnoxious, etc. But you cannot deny that what he is doing now is truly remarkable. While politicians fail to give direct aid to businesses, who are the livelihood for most, Dave Portnoy is.
