{"id":1324,"date":"2026-02-20T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T09:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/2026\/02\/20\/2026-02-20-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T23:08:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:08:05","slug":"2026-02-20-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/2026\/02\/20\/2026-02-20-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes\/","title":{"rendered":"One Super Bowl, two\u00a0halftimes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Randall Elvin<\/a> · Staff Writer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LX was one game with two halftimes. While the official halftime show was inside Levi’s Stadium and boasted 128 million live viewers, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) live streamed the “All-American Halftime Show.” On YouTube, TPUSA halftime peaked at just under 5 million live viewers. Although the viewership gap was massive, here’s what each brought to the halftime spotlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Bad Bunny was announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl LX halftime show, the reaction was loud. Would a predominately Spanish singer resonate with a mainstream Super Bowl crowd who are traditionally mostly English speakers? Before he even stepped on the field, expectations were sky high, and many had already made up their minds on whether they would like it or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the base line of “Tit\u00ed Me Pregunt\u00f3” began, Bad Bunny stood at the center of his stage while synchronized bursts of flames lined the stage rim. Dancers dressed in white and red flooded the area in a tight formation that layered the field with choreography. Songs like “MONACO” elevated the tempo with LED visuals beneath his feet simulating rushing city lights, while “Me Porto Bonito” washed the stadium in tropical pink and orange hues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While recent halftime performers, including Kendrick Lamar, have leaned directly into political messaging and explicit social commentary, Bad Bunny’s performance was largely celebratory. Performing predominantly in Spanish, he communicated cultural confidence and celebrated the look and feel of Puerto Rico. Additionally, all the flags of the Americas were flown. It was a strong reminder that “America” extends far beyond one country, and that it in fact does include cultures that are often overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporters praised the high energy and authenticity to his roots. Many applauded the refusal to dilute language or style, while some viewers felt disconnected by the language barrier. Regardless of people’s stance, the show itself ranked in the top five of the most-watched Super Bowl halftime shows of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the stadium watched Bad Bunny perform, Turning Point USA streamed its own alternative event on various streaming platforms. The “All-American Halftime Show” was announced weeks before and was marketed as a “counter-cultural program.” The stage designers opted for a classic rock look with elevated risers for the bands and a massive American flag LED backdrop. Red, white and blue dominated the color scheme of the entire event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concert featured performances by Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett, all leaning heavily on guitar-driven anthems. Instead of using choreography to capture the audience’s attention, there were built-in moments for the audience to sing along. Well-timed fireworks reflected the patriotic nature of the Fourth of July. Their message of patriotism plastered the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reception for the halftime was understandably mixed, as critics described the production as unpolished and lackluster. Others questioned TPUSA’s motive for unprecedentedly attempting to rival Bad Bunny. However, fans who tuned in purposely enjoyed the live band’s authenticity and familiar country rock tune. Many supporters of TPUSA enjoyed an alternative option for those fans who are tired of previous Super Bowl performances, whether that be because of a political message or the alleged abandonment of traditional values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The buildup made it clear that halftime would be about more than entertainment. It was about identity, preference and what viewers believe the Super Bowl stage should represent. In the end, both halftime shows celebrated something. One highlighted cross-country unity and cultural pride of Puerto Rico, while the other emphasized tradition and national identity in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Super Bowl LX was one game with two halftimes. While the official halftime show was inside Levi’s Stadium and boasted 128 million live viewers, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) live streamed the “All-American<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":709,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[221],"tags":[21,47,75],"class_list":["post-1324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-issue-2026-02-20","tag-randall-elvin"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",318,268,false],"thumbnail":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",150,126,false],"medium":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",300,253,false],"medium_large":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",318,268,false],"large":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",318,268,false],"1536x1536":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",318,268,false],"2048x2048":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/09\/2026-02-20-15-one-super-bowl-two-halftimes-1.jpg",318,268,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Ian Schartner","author_link":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/author\/schartnerij23\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Super Bowl LX was one game with two halftimes. While the official halftime show was inside Levi's Stadium and boasted 128 million live viewers, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) live streamed the \"All-American","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1324"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1741,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1324\/revisions\/1741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}