Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy says he’s grateful to have left New York City following the election of self-identified socialist Zohran Mamdani as the city’s new mayor. Portnoy didn’t hold back, calling Mamdani a dangerous candidate and vowing to sever ties between his company and what he sees as a city embracing failed ideology.
Portnoy revealed he had already instructed his finance team to start looking for new property outside the city. He named places like Hoboken or Jersey City as future office locations and emphasized his desire to keep his company out of Mamdani’s New York. “I don’t want to have an office in New York,” he said bluntly.
This isn’t the first time Portnoy raised concerns about the political direction of the city. Well before Election Day, he publicly criticized Mamdani, labeling him a “communist” and warning that the candidate opposed capitalism and the foundational principles of the United States. Now, after Mamdani’s win, Portnoy is taking action.
Portnoy, who moved to a $27.75 million estate in the Florida Keys in 2021, has been preparing to distance his business operations from New York for some time. He has increasingly expressed frustration with the city’s policies, taxes, and political culture. But Mamdani’s victory appears to be the final straw.
Calling the results a wake-up call, Portnoy declared, “If this is what the people of NYC want, then so be it. Thank God I don’t live there anymore.”
As a Jewish entrepreneur, Portnoy has also expressed concern about Mamdani’s far-left alliances and radical statements, including accusations that Mamdani has aligned himself with anti-capitalist rhetoric. The Barstool chief described Mamdani as openly hostile to the American dream and warned that his vision for New York would drive away jobs, investment, and innovation.
For conservative Christians and free-market advocates, Portnoy’s reaction reflects growing unease about the direction of major American cities. The flight of business leaders, especially those who built successful brands through risk and hard work, signals the rising cost of progressive politics. As New York embraces a candidate with extreme views, it risks losing the very people who made it a global economic hub.
