NASCAR didn’t need old racist videos to resurface on the Internet to know exactly what kind of company Barstool Sports is.
But the clips, which include Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who repeatedly uses the N-word, are just the latest examples of how NASCAR’s association with Barstool directly contradicts the governing body’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. So if NASCAR wants that commitment to be taken seriously, it must end the deal now.
In a particularly nasty video clip series about Colin Kaepernick kneeling before the national anthem to protest racism and police brutality, Portnoy said, “I’m going to say something that is racist,” before plunging into an intolerant discussion comparing Colin Kaepernick. with Osama bin Cargado. Portnoy said the quarterback “looks like a terrorist,” while Barstool writer Kevin Clancy described him as “terrorist skin,” among other egregious comments. They, along with Dan Katz from Pardon My Take, also joke about the black face.
This is unfortunately nothing new for Barstool. A quick Google search would have offered NASCAR a litany of reasons not to partner with the sports website that traffics famously in racism, sexism, and targeted harassment, even against a NASCAR reporter this season, while posing as sports commentary. and comedy. So while the toxic and degrading behavior of Barstool and its personalities was thoroughly documented, NASCAR still joined the company in 2019 so the Sports Business Daily called “media expense paid”. As noted in the report, the partnership is likely an effort to appeal to a younger audience.
NASCAR should never have partnered with Barstool, and the cost of employing this avenue to recruit new fans surely alienates others, especially if they are not straight cisgender white men. But clearly, he thought Barstool’s reach was worth ignoring the repulsive behavior of some of his biggest personalities and the content they create in the name of comedy.
That compensation is the antithesis of NASCAR’s commitment earlier this month to learning and fighting racism in and out of sport while promoting an inclusive environment. And it can only be rectified by ending the partnership, explaining why it was harmful, and reinforcing your promise to grow and help create change.
When asked in an email about the racist videos and its association with Barstool, NASCAR had no comment.
A week after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd and subsequent protests materialized across the country, NASCAR released a statement saying, in part:
“We must do better and our commitment to promoting equality and inclusion continues and will never falter.”
He reiterated that sentiment on June 10 when he banned the Confederate flag from his events, an effort led by Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., the only black driver in the Superior Series Cup.
And speaking about the FBI investigation into a rope found at Wallace’s garage stall in Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR President Steve Phelps, who praised the association with Barstool after it spread, said:
“We want everyone who loves racing to feel welcome and part of our NASCAR family, and our industry will protect ours against anyone who feels different.”
But Barstool’s recently resurfaced videos, tweeted by the @RzstProgramming account, highlight the behavior of Portnoy and Barstool employees directly in conflict with NASCAR’s commitment.
Let’s not forget that Kyle Larson was once considered the next most coveted free agent in NASCAR, until he said the N-word in a live stream during an iRacing event in April. After that, his sponsors, such as McDonalds and Credit One Bank, rescued him, and Chip Ganassi Racing fired the 27-year-old driver.
Those sponsors didn’t want to partner with a driver who used a racist insult, so why does NASCAR agree to partner with a partner whose founder has repeatedly done so too?
NASCAR is making an effort to speak out against hate and promote inclusion, and staying associated with Barstool, especially in place of these clips, sends the exact opposite message. NASCAR can’t have it both ways, and if you want everyone to feel welcome in the sport, getting rid of Barstool is an obvious next step.
Again, NASCAR should never have partnered with Barstool. But he chose the potential for an expanded fan base, which ultimately translates into money, obviously, about decency and humanity, while giving others a perfectly valid excuse for never participating in the sport.
If NASCAR wants to continue to deliver on its promise to fight racism and drive inclusion, it must fully disassociate itself with Barstool. And to correct that ignorant and out-of-contact association, you must recognize why Barstool is toxic, and then make sure it doesn’t embrace a racist and sexist voice in sport with open arms and a check.
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