Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy erupted over the election of Zohran Mamdani, vowing to potentially shut down his Manhattan headquarters and relocate the company over what he called “a Communist takeover” of New York City. In a fiery livestream, Portnoy said he “can’t stand” Mamdani, labeling the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist “a thirty-something who’s never had a real job” and predicting that his leadership will “wreck the business climate.”
While acknowledging that moving would hurt his employees, Portnoy revealed he’s already told Barstool’s finance team to start scouting offices in Hoboken or Jersey City, describing the move as a “principled stand.” His outburst comes amid a wave of anxiety among business leaders after Mamdani’s victory over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa — a stunning upset that cemented a sharp leftward shift in New York politics. As Portnoy put it bluntly, “If it were just me, I’d be out of Manhattan tomorrow.”
