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.
RadarOnline.com 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.
