A newly enacted New York City regulation aimed at boosting the earnings of app-based food delivery drivers has become the catalyst for a fiery public dispute between Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. The conflict, which has unfolded across social media platforms, has seen Portnoy threaten to relocate his media company from the city and engage in a war of words with the lawmaker, highlighting a deep-seated national debate over the gig economy, labor rights, and business costs.
The core of the issue is a law championed by Mamdani that mandates a minimum pay rate for the city’s more than 60,000 delivery workers. The legislation sets an initial floor of $17.96 per hour, a figure scheduled to increase to nearly $20 per hour by April 2025. Proponents of the measure, including Mamdani, argue it is a crucial step toward providing a livable wage and financial stability for a workforce that has historically faced low pay and precarious employment conditions.
00:00
00:00
01:31
Powered by
GliaStudios
Dave Portnoy, a vocal and influential figure in media and business, took immediate and strong exception to the law. In a series of videos and posts, he argued that the wage hike would have dire consequences for small businesses, particularly restaurants, which would be forced to absorb higher delivery fees. He contended that these costs would inevitably be passed on to consumers, potentially reducing demand for food delivery and ultimately harming the very workers the law intends to help.
Portnoy’s criticism quickly became personal. He directed his anger squarely at Mamdani, who had recently celebrated a primary election victory. In a widely circulated video, Portnoy called the assemblyman a “scumbag, a moron, and a rat,” directly blaming him for what he sees as a destructive policy. “You’re a f—ing rat,” Portnoy stated, escalating the rhetoric. He further declared that if the law were to stand, he would consider moving Barstool Sports, a major media entity with deep roots in sports and pop culture, out of its New York City headquarters. To amplify his message, Portnoy’s company began selling merchandise emblazoned with the phrase “Zohran Is A Rat.”
In response, Assemblyman Mamdani did not back down. Instead, he strategically co-opted Portnoy’s insult, turning the “rat” label into a symbol of his fight for the working class. In a pointed social media retort, Mamdani referenced the character Remy from the animated film Ratatouille, a rat who becomes a celebrated chef. He framed the conflict as a struggle between a “millionaire bully” and the rights of tens of thousands of essential workers.
Mamdani’s posts directly challenged Portnoy’s position and influence. “I’m the rat who got 60,000 workers a raise. Who the f–k are you?” he posted, a response that quickly went viral and rallied his supporters. In another message aimed at Portnoy, he wrote, “when you come at the king, you best not miss. But when you come at the rat, you better be ready for the whole damn city.” He also highlighted the irony of Portnoy’s position, noting that the Barstool founder was now profiting from the “rat” merchandise born from his own insults, while simultaneously complaining about rising business costs.
The public feud has drawn massive engagement online, with users fiercely debating the merits of each side’s arguments. Supporters of Portnoy echo his concerns about the economic impact on businesses and consumers, viewing the law as another example of burdensome government overreach in New York. Conversely, Mamdani’s supporters praise him for standing up to corporate interests and championing the cause of low-wage workers. The clash has evolved beyond a simple disagreement over policy into a symbolic battle representing the broader tensions between capital and labor in the modern economy. For many, it encapsulates the ongoing struggle to define fair labor practices within the rapidly growing gig-work sector, which often operates outside traditional employment structures. The outcome of this very public and personal confrontation remains to be seen, but it has successfully elevated a local labor ordinance into a national conversation piece.
