Dino Costa, the sports shock jock who earlier this summer called for Black Lives Matter protesters to be run over is no longer with Alpha Media and its Portland station 750/102.9 The Game.
Randi P’Pool, vice president of marketing for Alpha Media, has issued a statement saying:
After further review, Alpha Media has decided to cut ties with Dino Costa. Additional information is not available at this time.
EW reported on Costa’s June 7 remarks in light of the recent death of a Heather Heyer, a counterprotester in Charlottesville, Virginia, who was run over and killed by a car that ran into the crowd as police dispersed the crowds at the site of a planned “Unite the Right” rally of white supremacists. In addition to Heyer’s death, 19 other people were injured.
Costa said, in reference to an incident in Minnesota where protesters shut down a highway: “You know these protests where they shut down the road, they lie in the road? If I’m the cops, I wave the traffic on.” He clarified during his diatribe that his remarks pertained to Portland as well.
Costa continued, “Listen, as soon as one or two of these sumbitches are run over you’ll see the entire, in unison, everybody be up off the street. When people are being killed by 18-wheel trucks coming by, pickups, cars. Run ’em over!”
EW asked the University of Oregon Duck athletics for comment on the remarks, in light of Charlottesville. Costa’s now-fomer station KXTG (750/102.9 The Game) is listed as a “flagship” station broadcasting Ducks games and says on its website that is “Your 2017 Home Of Ducks Football.” The UO has a multi-media license agreement with IMG Media, which then gives radio stations like KXTG multi-media and sponsorship rights.
Jimmy Stanton, UO’s senior associate athletics director, responded: “We were just made aware of these comments. We certainly don’t condone them, and we find them disgusting and reprehensible. We are raising our concerns with IMG and the station.”
IMG’s contract with the UO has a morals clause that says:
IMG represents, warrants and covenants that it will not, and will not permit IMG’s employees or subcontractors or anyone else to, (i) use the Licensed Marks or other licensed property in a manner that harms University’s reputation or (ii) violate laws or engage in conduct involving moral turpitude that negatively impacts the value of this Agreement. In the event of any violation of this Section 6.03, in addition to IMG’s attempts to cure in accordance with Section 3.05, IMG agrees to use best efforts to immediately cease any such violation, including without limitation, if requested by University, terminating such third party’s rights to use University’s marks or other licensed property or any other rights to sponsor or otherwise associate with University.
Willamette Week picked up the story and the Portland Timbers soccer team also issued a statement saying it would review its contract with Alpha Media at the end of the 2018 MLS season.
On his Aug. 14 show, after Heyer’s death, Costa discussed the Charlottesville rally and death, saying he didn’t want any rallies or protests to culminate in people getting hurt, people getting maimed or losing their life as a result. He did not refer directly to or apologize for his previous remarks in the broadcast.
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