The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime headliner, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, confirming the decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league's main stage – a decision that drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.
Goodell addressed the Bad Bunny issue at his press conference following the annual fall owners meeting. He commented for the first time on the decision announced at the end of September. The choice attracted worldwide attention, including both increased listening to Bad Bunny's music and backlash.
“This is carefully thought out,” Goodell said. “I'm not sure we've ever picked an artist that didn't get backlash or criticism. That's pretty hard to do when there are literally hundreds of millions of people watching.”
Born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, 31, he has been outspoken about his opposition to Trump and his policies. He chose to live 31 days in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, although he avoided stops on the U.S. mainland, citing concerns about mass deportations of Latinos.
He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.
Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton to the NFL's biggest stage next year: headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. But the Puerto Rican artist has been critical of Trump-era immigration policies and ICE tactics, and some conservatives see his choice as a political statement.
Trump says he's “never heard of” the popular artist
“We're confident it's going to be a great show,” Goodell said, acknowledging that more talent could be added to the lineup along with Bad Bunny. “He understands the platform he's on and I think it's going to be an exciting and unified moment.”
The San Francisco 49ers will host the Super Bowl on February 8th at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It's unclear whether Trump plans to attend, although attending major sporting events in person has become a big part of his second term in the White House.
The NFL still intends to use “Bad Bunny” as the headliner of the Super Bowl halftime show, commissioner Roger Goodell said at a news conference after the league's fall meeting. “I think it will be an exciting and unified moment,” Goodell said in response to a reporter's question about criticism over the selection and what went into the decision.
In an interview with the conservative news network Newsmax, Trump said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.
“I don't know who he is,” Trump said. “I don't know why they do this. This is just crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to do the entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous.”
Goodell defended the decision on Wednesday, explaining that it was made due to Bad Bunny's enormous popularity.
“He is one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said. “That's what we're trying to achieve. This is an important stage for us. It's an important element of entertainment value.”
