Central Pa.

Hollywood Casino’s Barstool Sportsbook in Grantville, Pa. shown on Feb. 23,

Hollywood Casino's Barstool Sportsbook in Grantville, Pa. shown on Feb. 23, 2023.Mark Pynes | pennlive.comMark Pynes | [email protected]

Penn Entertainment-owned Barstool Sports is the latest company to face hostility for supporting the LGBTQ+ community, according to multiple news reports.

It began in early June after a post on Barstool's Twitter account announced the sale of shirts related to an upcoming Pride parade in New York City, along with a contest to allow the winner to ride a Barstool float during the event.

The tweet prompted several hundred hostile remarks, with some calling for the public to "bankrupt" Barstool or predicting "the beginning of the end" for the sports media company, according to articles in publications including Newsweek.

Other recent targets of such backlash have included Bud Light and Target retail chain.

Newsweek wrote, "Despite such inclusive marketing and branding initiatives being commonplace among corporations for years, many have become engulfed in controversy in recent months. Some experts have pinned the blame on a small number of influential far-right figures orchestrating a plan to make support for LGBTQ+ communities toxic for major companies."

The Street noted Barstool has "a more conservative, fraternity-like following."

"That hasn't stopped conservatives from attacking the brand for its Pride merchandise despite many companies, including Barstool, already participating in Pride events prior to this year," according to The Street.

Berks County-based Penn Entertainment was formerly known as Penn National Gaming. It operates entities including Hollywood Casino and the thoroughbred race track in Dauphin County.

Penn partnered with Barstool and took an ownership stake in 2020, embarking on a strategy "that leverages Barstool's well-known brand and personalities." It bought the remainder of the company in February for $388 million.

In a news release following the purchase, Penn said of Barstool: "With over 200 million loyal followers, the company creates and delivers unmatched sports and comedic content through its extensive network of over 100 shows and 90+ personalities. Its content offerings span podcasts, video, social media, live events, pay-per-view, and a growing commerce business, solidifying its position as a multimedia powerhouse."

A Penn spokesman didn't immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment on Friday.

On Twitter, one Barstool personality swung back against claims the Pride-related support is new, tweeting "I’ve released Pride gear literally every single year I’ve been here."

Another wrote, "The internet is such a mess that I don't even bother to unfollow accounts I don't like anymore; I just keep going with the tiniest flick of my finger. And the idea of not only unfollowing that account, but TYPING a comment to let everyone know my displeased plan to quit? That is so much more work than ignoring it. These people are going out of their way to look like [expletive]. They are, to borrow from the gays, outing themselves! I’ll never understand it."