Dave Portnoy challenges Roger Goodell to donate $250k to ‘Barstool Fund’ for struggling small businesses
UNSPECIFIED LOCATION – APRIL 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this still image from video provided by the NFL, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks from his home in Bronxville, New York during the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft on April 23, 2020. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)
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UPDATED 7:55 PM PT – Thursday, December 24, 2020
Barstool Sports Founder and President Dave Portnoy challenged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to donate $250,000 to the Barstool Fund.
Hey @nflcommish remember that 250k donation you refused to take from me for frontline covid workers? I still have it. If you donate 250k to #barstoolfund to save small business I’ll match it. Quick 500k. Let’s go.
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 23, 2020
The fund donates money to small businesses, which have been impacted by state and local shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since March, Portnoy has been a vocal critic of shutdown measures as well as the government’s failure to reach a quality stimulus measure. Now, he said he is putting his money where his mouth is.
Introducing The Barstool Fund
If you are a small business that needs help staying in business because of covid email us your story to barstoolfund@barstoolsports.com. We will try to help as many people as we can. pic.twitter.com/9BS8HeyHaq
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 17, 2020
The money would be used to help struggling individual businesses keep their doors open. To receive the funds, Portnoy said the businesses must have kept their payroll active by not laying off any employees.
Portnoy has been a longtime critic of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, especially when Goodell had the league investigate quarterback Tom Brady for allegedly deflating footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
In response, Portnoy started a “Fire Goodell” campaign, complete with merchandise and t-shirts, which depicted the commissioner wearing a red clown nose.
This led the NFL to ban Portnoy from Superbowl Media Night in 2019. He was escorted out by NFL personnel.
In the meantime, Portnoy is calling out the commissioner once again. In a tweet posted on Thursday, he challenged Goodell to donate $250,000 to the small business fund.
Just a reminder for all small businesses applying for help please email stories to barstoolfund@barstoolsports.com and include a video from owner with story. We are going through them as fast as we can. #barstoolfund
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 25, 2020
Portnoy’s challenge comes on the heels of a $250,000 donation he planned to give to the NFL in a sweepstakes auction. In the auction, the highest bidder would win a chance to watch an NFL game in Commissioner Goodell’s home with the commissioner himself.
Portnoy actually won the auction with his donation, though Goodell refused to award him the grand prize. Portnoy said he still has his $250,000, which he plans to donate to the Barstool Fund.
However, he added he will only give the money if Commissioner Goodell matches his donation to help struggling small businesses.
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