MLB superfan came out to defend Bad Bunny over ‘God Bless America’ controversy at Yankee Stadium

Bad Bunny’s recent appearance at Yankee Stadium turned into a national flashpoint after the Puerto Rican superstar remained seated during “God Bless America.” As social media erupted with accusations of disrespect, one of baseball’s most recognizable superfans, Laurence Leavy, better known as “Marlins Man,” stepped forward to defend him, saying the outrage is overblown and the rapper “did nothing wrong.

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Marlins Man defends Bad Bunny’s right to stay seated

According to Laurence Leavy, who was seated right next to Bad Bunny during Game 3 of the American League Division Series, the situation spiraled out of proportion. He told TMZ that Bad Bunny’s decision not to stand “wasn’t against the law,” adding, “the world’s got way bigger problems than this.”Leavy recalled the exact moment. As the Yankees honored a Marine Corps veteran and the crowd rose for “God Bless America,” Leavy took off his trademark orange visor and noticed that Bad Bunny and his team stayed seated.

“I noticed he is sitting down and I take my hat off, I have my hand on my chest,” Leavy told the Daily Mail. “They’re sitting down and I said, ‘Dude, you guys have got to get up. They’ll give you a lot of crap if you sit down.

’”Bad Bunny’s handler reportedly responded that the rapper was upset over former President Donald Trump’s criticism of his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance. Trump and several supporters had questioned why a country singer who is American wasn’t chosen instead.

The handler added, “We don’t think that Trump realizes that Puerto Rico is the United States.”Leavy said that while the optics looked bad, it was likely a bad timing. He described Bad Bunny as “a nice guy” who “wasn’t trying to be a jerk” and added, “He just felt he didn’t want to stand, which is his right. He doesn’t have to stand, there’s no law that says you have to.”

Bad Bunny faced heavy criticism over ‘God Bless America’ controversy amid Super Bowl spotlight

The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, hasn’t addressed the incident publicly.

However, Leavy noted that Bad Bunny seemed aware of the scrutiny, recalling him saying, “Yeah, you know, half the world hates me, half the world likes me.”Bad Bunny’s actions have reignited debates about patriotism and personal expression. While critics call his decision unpatriotic, others view it as an exercise of individual freedom. Regardless, it was amplified by his upcoming role as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer.As Leavy put it, “It never should’ve blown up the way it did.” Bad Bunny chose to remain silent on the matter.Also Read: Bad Bunny's Super Bowl spot sparks outrage as Jason Whitlock accuses NFL of pushing 'gay agenda'