Portnoy Criticizes Political Operative Connected to Maine Senate Candidate

Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy criticized a political operative tied to Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. The strategist had suggested a collaboration on a Boston sports-themed ad.

Platner produced an ad criticizing private equity firms’ roles in managing the Boston Red Sox. Principal owner John Henry II’s Fenway Sports Group includes private equity investors and also holds a stake in NASCAR’s RFK Racing team.

Political strategist Jeff Coote contacted Portnoy on Thursday to discuss collaborating with Platner. The aim was to highlight the influence of private equity in sports and criticize John Henry. Portnoy shared the email conversation online.

“Hey Dave, something different for you,” Coote wrote, referring to the ad as an example of Platner’s populist approach. He mentioned the dissatisfaction surrounding the Red Sox and John Henry.

After Coote followed up on Friday, Portnoy responded harshly.

“Hey Jeff. This is the Nazi guy, right? I’d be happy to talk to him about that tattoo and his Nazi affiliations,” wrote Portnoy.

Portnoy, who is Jewish, expressed disinterest in Platner’s baseball opinions and suggested a direct conversation.

Coote’s reply, “nice one,” prompted another response from Portnoy, asking if this was a refusal. Coote proposed a potential discussion between the two if it could be productive.

Portnoy insisted that Coote should reconsider contacting a Jewish person to support someone with a Nazi connection and questioned his professional judgment.

Platner has faced criticism for a chest tattoo of the Totenkopf symbol, associated with the Nazi Schutzstaffel paramilitary group.

The ad, which criticized private equity’s impact on the Red Sox, was removed by Fenway-owned New England SportsNet (NESN) during the Sox’s game against the Minnesota Twins. NESN stated it often removes ads for concerns over intellectual property, though specific details were not given.

Platner confirmed the removal on social media, linking the ad with the team’s loss after the removal. The Red Sox allowed the Minnesota Twins to overcome a 4-0 lead.

A company named RedBird Partners purchased an 11% stake in Fenway in 2021. This happened after the Red Sox traded their star outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

“Private equity is harming our beloved baseball team and stripping it for parts. They are buying our homes, sports, and lives,” Platner stated in the ad.

Platner vowed to reverse the private equity impact on the team.

Barstool Sports president David Portnoy and Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner continue to be at the center of this political and sports-related clash. Fenway’s dealings and the Red Sox’s performance remain topics of discussion.

Fox News Digital reached out to Portnoy, Coote’s Slingshot Strategies company, and the Platner campaign for comments. Charles Creitz is a Fox News Digital reporter covering media, politics, and culture. He joined Fox News in 2013 and is a Pennsylvania native with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Temple University.