America's top football league has no plans to remove the global music icon as the headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this week.
With this affirmation, Goodell reaffirmed the choice to place the Puerto Rican artist on the most-watched platform, a move that sparked negative reactions from the former president and his political base.
Goodell commented on the controversy during his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the first time he has publicly remarked on the appointment, which has garnered worldwide attention, including a surge in streams of Bad Bunny’s music alongside backlash.
“The decision was thoroughly considered,” Goodell said. “I doubt we have chosen an artist where we avoided pushback or disapproval. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally countless viewers of people tuning in.”
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a outspoken critic of the former leader. He recently opted to hold a month-long concert series in his homeland, avoiding stops in the mainland US, referencing apprehensions about the expulsion of Latinos.
The 31-year-old, who performs primarily in his native language, is expected to continue this at the Super Bowl.
“We’re confident it will deliver a spectacular performance,” Goodell said. “He understands the platform that he has, and I think it’s going to be thrilling and a united experience.”
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on 8 February at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. There is uncertainty if Trump intends to attend, although he has made appearing in person at high-profile games a significant part of his second term.
The political figure in an interview on conservative news network the outlet said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.
“I’m unfamiliar with his identity,” Trump said. “I can’t comprehend the reasoning behind it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on some promoter they contracted to pick up entertainment. In my opinion it’s completely unreasonable.”
Goodell defended the decision this week, explaining it was made because of the artist’s massive fanbase.
“He ranks among the leading and most popular performers in the world,” he said. “That’s what we aim to achieve. It represents a crucial stage for the league. It’s an important element to the overall experience.”
