Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, strongly endorsed Patriots owner Robert Kraft's decision to ban rapper Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium due to his antisemitic past and recent controversial behavior. Portnoy criticized Macklemore for using the platform to push political messages instead of entertaining, supporting Kraft’s right as a property owner to exclude artists with problematic histories. The controversy began when venues refused to host Ed Sheeran's tour featuring Macklemore after he led anti-Israel chants during earlier shows in New Jersey.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but all 3 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 17044: attributed speech only · logged 2026-09-18
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy firmly backed Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s decision to ban Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, telling the rapper to take his political activism somewhere else.
asserted
Portnoy → back → activism
Kraft’s decision helped get Macklemore kicked off Ed Sheeran’s U.S. "Loop Tour" after the Patriots owner cited the rapper’s history of antisemitic controversies.
asserted
owner → help → controversies
"I back Robert Kraft banning Macklemore from performing at Gillette 1000% and thank him for having a spine when many others in his shoes don't," Portnoy said in a video posted to X.
"Macklemore, who is turning this into a political rally, you're going to come into Bob Kraft's house and spit in his face?
asserted
you → back → face
No f------ way!" Portnoy said.
asserted
Portnoy → say → ?
This ain't freedom of speech, homie.
asserted
This → be → speech
He owns the stadium!
asserted
He → own → stadium
He added: "Would you have a party and invite someone over who is going to spew what you consider hatred?
asserted
you → add → someone
If I go to the Ed Sheeran concert, I don't want to hear a ‘Free Palestine’ rant from a guy who isn't being genuine about it all.
asserted
who → go → it
I didn't pay to hear Macklemore give me a political speech, I paid to hear Ed Sheeran sing.
asserted
Sheeran → pay → speech
Portnoy spotlighted Macklemore’s antisemitic past.
asserted
Portnoy → spotlight → past
"Bob Kraft, I am sure, did what I did when I saw this, he researched Macklemore," Portnoy said.
asserted
Portnoy → do → Macklemore
"It didn't take long to learn that Macklemore has a pretty shady past.
asserted
Macklemore → take → past
He already, at a prior concert, dressed in wildly antisemitic tropes."
asserted
He → dress → tropes
Portnoy was referring to a 2014 Seattle performance in which Macklemore wore a dark suit, fake beard and prosthetic nose, drawing criticism for invoking antisemitic Jewish caricatures.
asserted
Macklemore → refer → caricatures
Macklemore later apologized.
asserted
Macklemore → apologize → ?
During Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Macklemore led anti-Israel chants, projected Gaza war imagery and performed "Hind’s Hall."
asserted
Macklemore → lead → Hall
Several venues reportedly told the tour promoter they would not host shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
uncertain
Macklemore → tell → lineup
Kraft refused to host him at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and the promoter ultimately removed him from the remaining dates.
asserted
promoter → refuse → dates
Macklemore later accused Kraft of coordinating a stadium boycott against him.
asserted
Macklemore → accuse → him
He pledged his $1 million in tour earnings to Palestinian aid and challenged Kraft to match the donation.
asserted
He → pledge → donation
In a statement released through Gillette Stadium, Kraft said Sheeran had contacted him privately before Macklemore’s public challenge.
asserted
Sheeran → release → challenge
Sheeran asked Kraft to support a $2 million humanitarian donation, and Kraft said he agreed to support relief efforts in the region.
asserted
he → ask → region
Kraft also cited Macklemore’s history of antisemitic tropes and his failure to acknowledge the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people.
asserted
that → cite → people
After Macklemore was dropped, opening acts including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga pulled out of the remaining tour dates in protest.
asserted
acts → drop → protest
Portnoy slammed the musicians who abandoned Sheeran’s tour, accusing them of hypocrisy and putting political posturing ahead of their commitment to fans.
"
asserted
who → slam → fans
I feel bad for Ed Sheeran; his band quit, saying, ‘This is censorship, Free Palestine!’
asserted
This → feel → Sheeran
That guy, Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, f------ hypocrites; they backed out," Portnoy said.
asserted
Portnoy → back → Eilish
Portnoy closed by insisting that defending Kraft required more than a token show of support.
asserted
defending → close → support
"I don't stand with Bob Kraft 5 percent, 10 percent," Portnoy said.
asserted
Portnoy → stand → Kraft
"I stand with Bob Kraft 110 percent.
asserted
I → stand → Kraft
More Jews have to speak out.
asserted
Jews → have → ?
That's why I am making this video, because it's really easy for everyone just to pile on right now, but I have his back a hundred million percent.
asserted
I → make → back
The Aporia
