Dave Portnoy Blasted for Giving Culprits Behind Antisemitic Sign a 'Free Vacation' — Despite Barstool Boss Wanting It to Be 'Teaching Moment'
Dave Portnoy received criticism for sending students on a 'free vacation' after an antisemitic incident.
May 5 2025, Published 5:48 p.m. ET
Critics are saying Dave Portnoy’s idea of a lesson is rewarding bad behavior with a free ride.
Breaking Celebrity News can reveal the Barstool Sports boss is facing major backlash for sending two offenders tied to an antisemitic incident to Auschwitz, with people slamming the move as a "free vacation" instead of true accountability.
The disturbing incident unfolded at Portnoy's Barstool Sansom Street on May 3, when a customer ordered bottle service with a hateful sign reading 'F--- the Jews.'
Portnoy, 48, was fuming after a viral video recently exposed an antisemitic sign at his Philly sports bar – leading to a Temple University student's suspension and a police probe.
The shocking incident went down at Portnoy's Barstool Sansom Street spot on May 3, when a customer ordered bottle service and displayed a vile sign that read: "F--- the Jews," according to multiple news outlets.
Portnoy, who is Jewish, said he was 'shaking' due to being so mad at the incident.
On Sunday, Portnoy – who is of Jewish heritage – reacted to the incident from the night before in a video posted on X, saying he was trying to track down who was responsible.
He said angrily: "I’ve been shaking. I’ve been so f------ mad for the last two hours.
"Do you think I’m gonna put up with this s--- in my bar? So I've been hunting down waitresses, the table who did it, and everything you can f------ name because I want f------ consequences for f------ actions."
The Barstool kingpin revealed the two waitresses allegedly serving the table were fired, noting how one of them bizarrely asked to call him back because she was at a dance recital.
He also recounted a tense exchange with one of the individuals behind the antisemitic sign, saying the person tearfully claimed: "I’m not antisemitic."
Portnoy wasn't convinced, snapping back: "I don’t f------ buy it for a second. Who the f--- would do that sign in my f------ bar?"
In a follow-up video on X, Portnoy said he spoke with the alleged offenders and dished out what's coming next – a trip to Auschwitz to get a first-hand look at the Nazi concentration camps.
He explained: "I’m sending these kids to Auschwitz. They’ve agreed to go... and they're gonna do a tour of the concentration camps in Germany and hopefully learn something and maybe their lives aren’t ruined, and think twice.
"To me, that’s a fair outcome of the event."
Alongside the video, Portnoy wrote: "Rather than ruin a couple 20-year-olds lives, maybe this can be used as a teaching moment."
However, many did not agree that sending the students on a trip was the right way to "teach them a lesson."
One person jabbed back: "It's wild to me that these guys literally disrespected the entire Jewish population at your own nightclub, and you give them a free all expense paid trip..."
A second slammed: "They get a paid trip out of the deal? These guys need to be taken out back & dealt with, not given a vacation."
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A third wrote: "If you need someone to tag along and make sure this educational field trip doesn’t devolve into a paid vacation to Poland I’m on stand by."
Another said: "So basically it’s a vacation for these clowns? C’mon, Dave, you’re paying for their trip to basically get drunk in Poland."
Portnoy said he would be sending the guilty students to Auschwitz as a 'teaching moment.'
Someone else suggested: "Film them. Don’t just give them a free ride for them to snicker with whoever is with them."
In a Sunday letter to the Temple University community, President John Fry confirmed students were tied to the Barstool Sansom Street scandal – revealing one has already been suspended.
Philadelphia police have launched an investigation into the incident, according to NBC News and Fox News.
