Not just one bite: Barstool Fund has raised more than $20.9M for small businesses
By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports
January 9, 2021 at
5:00 am
Back in October, Dave Portnoy, founder and “El Presidente” of media platform Barstool Sports, decided to help save the historic Reading Terminal Market in downtown Philadelphia, which had been hit hard by COVID-19 lockdowns.
With an assist from casino operator Penn National Gaming, which owns 36% of Barstool, more than $250,000 was raised for location. Penn donated $100 for every new Barstool Sportsbook app that was activated over a 24-hour period with a deposit of $100 or more.
“This is largely due to Dave and his profile online,” Penn CEO Jay Snowden said at the time, crediting Barstool’s loyal 66 million-plus followers – often referred to as “Stoolies” – who are avid viewers of the platform’s social-media and internet channels.