Halftime Show Viewership Concerns for the NFL

The halftime performance by Bad Bunny this past February led to a significant drop in Super Bowl viewership. On NBC and Telemundo, the audience decreased from 135.9 million at the end of the second quarter to 128.2 million during the performance between 8:15 and 8:29 p.m.

This decline marks the most substantial decrease in halftime viewership in Super Bowl history, a 5.7% drop compared to the 4% decline during Kendrick Lamar’s performance the previous year. Historically, Super Bowl audiences have grown during halftime shows.

The responsibility for selecting halftime performers like Lamar and Bad Bunny lies with Jay Z, empowered by the NFL as the halftime czar in 2019. This year, Jay Z has chosen himself to perform in Los Angeles.

Jay Z offers nostalgia as a defining hip-hop artist of the 2000s. His collaborations with artists including Kanye West and Rihanna kept him influential. Many American viewers are likely to recognize him more than Lamar or Bad Bunny. Yet, recognition does not guarantee interest.

Performers like Lamar and Bad Bunny divided audiences politically at a time when partisan activism affects mainstream events like the Super Bowl. Jay Z has an extensive political background. He distributed “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts after Eric Garner’s death, supported Hillary Clinton in Ohio, and celebrated Barack Obama’s election with his song “My President.”

Jay Z has criticized Republicans, calling Trump “a joke,” “not very sophisticated,” and a “superbug” in a 2018 CNN interview. He linked Trump’s rise to racism and called America “sexist” for not electing a female president. Now, Jay Z will perform at the most-viewed event in this reportedly sexist and racist country.

The NFL might claim that an artist’s politics are irrelevant unless present during the show. Viewers, however, often do not separate these aspects. Bad Bunny didn’t make a statement during his performance, yet his anti-Trump image existed, leading to a decline in viewership.

The NFL recognizes this dynamic. A poll indicated it took nearly a decade to regain popularity among Republican viewers after anthem protests began in 2016. Alienating half the audience is detrimental.

The NFL’s struggles due to the kneeling controversy and declining halftime viewership underscore the problem. Jay Z may not reverse this trend, especially with alternatives like Turning Point USA’s halftime show gaining traction.

The NFL can distance itself from these choices by noting Jay Z’s decision-making role. However, it is unbelievable that the NFL lacks authority to veto the performer at the Super Bowl.

The NFL-Super Bowl partnership with Jay Z’s Roc Nation from 2019 was meant to guide live music entertainment and the Inspire Change initiative, following the Kaepernick controversy. However, the partnership’s success remains debatable. The last two halftime shows lost viewers.

Overall Super Bowl viewership fell from 127.7 million in 2025 to 124.9 million in 2026. Nielsen’s changed measurement system implies the decline is greater than the drop of nearly 3 million suggests.

The solution isn’t finding a conservative musician. The Super Bowl doesn’t need partisan halftime shows. It needs an artist with broad appeal who retains viewers.

If Jay Z’s plan involves selecting himself again, perhaps the NFL should involve someone else in the decision-making process.