Goodell’s Take on Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show

While many might disagree, especially followers of Turning Point USA and its over 5 million viewers, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell thinks Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance was a success.

A media executive, Charles Gasparino, shared his conversation with Goodell post-show, mentioning that there was satisfaction among some, particularly regarding the show’s impact.

“Goodell thought it was great,” the executive noted, adding that the commissioner believed it was necessary for the NFL to broaden its audience base. “He mentioned it was a purely business decision.”

This perspective seems to echo the concerns many have about the league’s choice to feature the Puerto Rican rapper, suggesting a push to attract a demographic beyond the usual English-speaking American fans. There’s a sense that the NFL isn’t too worried about upsetting its traditional fan base, assuming they’ll still tune into the game no matter what.

However, while it’s true that established fans might keep watching, the analysis around the halftime show might overlook important factors.

Bad Bunny’s performance showed that fans could step away from the game during halftime for something they really enjoy.

“Viewership during the show on YouTube was between 4 million and 5 million, as TPUSA presented a 25-minute halftime show featuring artists like Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert. By the end of Super Bowl 60, the total views exceeded 12 million,” according to Sporting News.

An extra 3 million viewers started watching the show on TPUSA’s X page, although that was later taken down due to unspecified copyright issues.

While Super Bowl numbers are usually bigger, seeing a substantial portion of high-profile viewers disengage from the game could suggest a shift. If TPUSA or other conservative groups keep providing halftime entertainment that resonates with the NFL’s traditional fans, this might influence future viewership.

On the flip side, if Bad Bunny fans aren’t typically football enthusiasts, it raises the question: why would they watch anything beyond the halftime performance? Sure, there might be a spike in viewership during the late second quarter or early third quarter, but does this really mean the NFL is expanding its audience?

Will those fans of Bad Bunny suddenly switch on to watch a game like Chargers versus Falcons just because he’s performing at halftime? Could this approach risk further alienating the traditional fan base?

That definitely seems like a big gamble for the league.