The NFL and Roc Nation quietly announced that Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, a move that instantly turned what should be a unifying American spectacle into another culture-war flashpoint. Millions of hardworking Americans tune into the Super Bowl to enjoy football and family time, not to be lectured to or politically maneuvered by entertainers with a political agenda.
What makes this choice especially galling to many conservatives is that Bad Bunny himself recently explained why he avoided performing on the U.S. mainland, saying he feared Immigration and Customs Enforcement could be outside his concerts and that touring the continental United States was “unnecessary.” In other words, he has publicly framed parts of America as an unsafe or hostile place for his fans, and yet he has accepted the very biggest U.S. stage the NFL offers.
That apparent contradiction didn’t take long to spark outrage and accusations of hypocrisy from both sides of the aisle, with critics pointing out the inconsistency of skipping U.S. tour dates while taking a headline spot at the Super Bowl. Conservatives are right to ask whether the league is bending over backwards to signal to an activist class while ignoring ordinary fans and the values that built this country.
Beyond the politics, Bad Bunny’s public persona is a deliberate provocation of traditional norms: he has embraced gender-fluid fashion, worn skirts and dresses on major stages and covers, and described his sexuality as fluid in interviews. For families who expect the Super Bowl halftime to be a broadly family-friendly celebration, the league’s choice to spotlight an act that revels in challenging gender norms will feel like an ideological thumb in the eye.
Let’s be clear: Jay-Z and Roc Nation praised the booking as a cultural milestone, and the NFL is no stranger to courting controversy for ratings and relevance. But the league shouldn’t be surprised when everyday Americans — taxpayers and fans who actually pay for stadiums, tickets, and advertising — feel alienated when political theater replaces wholesome entertainment.
If the NFL wants to keep the Super Bowl a true national celebration, it should stop using the halftime stage to reward virtue-signaling and start listening to fans instead of agenda-driven elites. Advertisers and viewers have power; they can take their attention and dollars elsewhere until the league remembers who built its brand.
Patriots who value tradition, decency, and the simple joy of a football halftime show should speak up, vote with their wallets, and demand that our biggest national stages celebrate unity, not division.