“Poor sportsmanship” — John Mellencamp criticizes Pat McAfee's Knicks celebrity booing at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27

In a blend of sportsmanship and showmanship, Indiana's rock legend John Mellencamp publicly criticized ESPN 's Pat McAfee for his behavior during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. McAfee, recognized for his flashy style, stirred the home crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to boo celebrity Knicks fans such as Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Timothée Chalamet. Mellencamp, stressing the value of " Hoosier Hospitality ," voiced his embarrassment over the situation, leading to a wider dialogue about respect and etiquette in sports arenas.
John Mellencamp denounces Pat McAfee's callout of Knicks celebrities as uncharacteristic of Indiana's hospitalityIn the fourth quarter of Game 4 on May 27, 2025, between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks, Pat McAfee really stole the show at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The ex-NFL punter and now ESPN host took the mic to pump up the crowd, highlighting the celebrity Knicks fans in attendance, "We got some big wigs from the big city in the building! Spike Lee is here! Ben Stiller is here! Timothée Chalamet is here!" Each name was met with escalating boos, culminating in McAfee's rallying cry: "Let's send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing!"

John Mellencamp, attending the game, was dismayed by the crowd's reaction. Without naming McAfee directly, he took to social media to express his disappointment, "I was embarrassed when somebody... called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team... The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality." He further lamented, "I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life."

I am “somebody” https://t.co/F8jTbkGSu0

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 29, 2025

Ben Stiller, one of the stars who was called out, reacted with a mix of surprise and understanding. He described McAfee's remarks as "weird" but chalked it up to his WWE-style theatrics, noting that most Indiana fans were really welcoming. Stiller even invited McAfee to join him for a game at Madison Square Garden, pointing out the different fan cultures between the two cities.

After being criticized by Mellencamp, McAfee remarked on his show that he heard Mellencamp’s comments, but that he was confident in his role of inspiring the home crowd. Stiller invited Brown to watch Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, but he refused because of the ticket price being as high as $171,000 and not getting support from the Knicks owner.

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The case shows that there is a slim difference between acting as a passionate fan and acting in a good-sportsmanlike manner. McAfee hoped to bring energy to the home crowd which instead revealed the importance of keeping respect, even during hard-fought games. Joan Mellencamp urged people to be kind, remembering that being loving includes respect. Both the teams and their fans get to embrace what the sport stands for as the series progresses.