Dave Portnoy Criticizes Political Operative Linked to Maine Senate Candidate

Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy criticized a political operative associated with Graham Platner, a contentious Maine Senate candidate. The issue arose after the strategist proposed a collaboration on a Boston sports-themed ad campaign.

Platner produced an advertisement targeting the involvement of private equity firms in the management of the Boston Red Sox. John Henry II, the principal owner of the team, operates under Fenway Sports Group, which includes various investors like private equity firms and holds a stake in NASCAR’s RFK Racing team.

Jeff Coote, a political strategist, reached out to Portnoy to discuss the ad and suggest a partnership with Platner. Coote suggested focusing on the rise of private equity in sports and criticizing ‘big bad John Henry.’ Portnoy later shared the email conversation on X.

‘Hey Dave, something different for you,’ Coote wrote, calling the ad an example of Platner’s ‘populist streak’ while empathizing about issues irking people like the Red Sox and Henry.

Coote followed up with Portnoy again, leading to a critical response from the Barstool Sports President.

‘Hey Jeff. Now this is the Nazi guy right? Yeah I’d be happy to talk to him about that tattoo and him being a Nazi,’ Portnoy, who is Jewish, responded.

Portnoy expressed no interest in Platner’s views on baseball and asked about setting up a meeting. Coote commented with ‘nice one,’ to which Portnoy replied, ‘is that a no?’

Coote said a productive conversation might lead to a connection with Platner, but Portnoy was not convinced. He remarked on reaching out to a Jewish person to downplay a Nazi association, referring to Bernie Sanders, also Jewish, who had endorsed Platner.

Platner faced criticism for his Totenkopf chest tattoo, linked to the Nazi Schutzstaffel paramilitary group.

After Portnoy published the email chain, he questioned Platner’s campaign for involving him with such a controversial figure. The ad also faced backlash from Fenway-owned New England SportsNet (NESN), which removed it midway during a game against the Minnesota Twins.

The network justified the ad’s removal due to ‘credible concerns’ about intellectual property. Platner’s use of a font similar to the Red Sox’s was noted.

Platner took to social media to confirm the ad’s removal, linking its airing cessation to a Red Sox game loss, accusing private equity of harming Boston sports.

Platner criticized private equity for affecting the team negatively, mentioning RedBird Partners’ purchase of an 11% stake in Fenway after trading outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

‘Private equity is destroying our favorite baseball team, stripping them for parts,’ Platner said, vowing to end the private equity ‘curse.’ He expressed missing Mookie Betts and approved the message.

Fox News Digital reached out to Portnoy, Coote’s Slingshot Strategies, and the Platner campaign for comments.