“If the NFL Won’t Represent America, We Will” — Turning Point USA Launches All-American Halftime Show to Challenge Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Stage
The Super Bowl has long been more than just a football game—it’s a showcase for American culture, a stage where music, sport, and national identity collide. This year, with rumors swirling that global pop icon Bad Bunny will headline the official NFL halftime show, the event has become ground zero for a new kind of cultural clash. Enter Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization led by Charlie Kirk, which has announced plans to stage its own “All-American Super Bowl Halftime Show” in direct protest—transforming halftime into a referendum on what it means to be “American.”
Turning Point USA’s announcement, made via social media and confirmed by Kirk himself, is nothing short of a headline-grabbing countermove. Framing their event as “100% American, 0% Apology,” TPUSA promises a livestreamed show during the official halftime performance, offering viewers an “authentic American alternative” to what they describe as a “politically charged, culturally disconnected spectacle.”
“We don’t hate the Super Bowl,” Kirk posted. “We just think it’s time for an option that puts America—and American values—first.”
The backlash against Bad Bunny’s rumored headlining slot began when NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson questioned the league’s commitment to American artists, suggesting that those who “don’t love America” shouldn’t be featured on its biggest stage. For TPUSA, whose activism centers on youth engagement and a defense of traditional values, the halftime show is a flashpoint in a broader culture war.
“If the NFL won’t honor the traditions and values that made football great,” said TPUSA spokesperson Kelly Erwin, “we will.”
Unlike the NFL’s star-studded, top-down approach, TPUSA is asking its supporters to vote on the musical direction of the show. The options:
– “Anything in English”
– “Americana”
– “Worship”
The choices are as much about signaling ideology as musical taste. “Worship” appeals to faith-based viewers; “Americana” nods to country and patriotic genres; “Anything in English” draws a line in the sand on language and tradition. Early voting reportedly favors faith-centered and country acts, with insiders hinting that “well-known Christian artists and patriotic country musicians” are being courted for the event.
TPUSA’s halftime show will stream digitally, with plans for simulcasts at affiliated churches, campuses, and social media platforms—building a parallel cultural infrastructure that bypasses mainstream channels.
The NFL’s embrace of global stars like Bad Bunny has ignited debate over what the halftime show should represent. Supporters see it as a celebration of Latino excellence and modern American diversity. Critics, including TPUSA, view it as a departure from national tradition—a move toward global pop at the expense of “unapologetic patriotism.”
“This isn’t about one artist,” Kirk explained. “It’s about whether we still have space in America for tradition, English-speaking music, and unapologetic patriotism—or whether that’s going to be mocked and replaced.”
TPUSA’s halftime show is part of a larger conservative strategy: creating parallel institutions to Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and now, the NFL’s cultural programming. The message is clear: if mainstream platforms won’t reflect the values of a sizable portion of Americans, new platforms will be built.
Whether TPUSA’s alternative halftime gains traction beyond its base remains uncertain. But in an era where even a football concert can spark a national debate on identity, the significance is unmistakable.
This year’s Super Bowl isn’t just about touchdowns and commercials—it’s a cultural battleground. With Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show” set to stream in protest, halftime will be as much about values as entertainment.
One thing is certain:
The Super Bowl just became about more than football—again.
