Puerto Rican singer and actor Bad Bunny, also known as Benito Ocasio, has been named as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LX, a move that could help Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) set new viewership records and capitalize on strong advertising demand.
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Bad Bunny Super Bowl LX Halftime Performer
The NFL, Roc Nation and Apple Music, a unit of Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) announced Sunday that Bad Bunny will be the next Super Bowl halftime performer on Feb. 8, looking to follow up on strong record-breaking viewership from last year’s performance by Kendrick Lamar.
“What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage,” Roc Nation co-founder Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter said.
Carter said Bad Bunny “represents the global energy” for today’s music scene.
Bad Bunny’s selection comes after a recent Puerto Rican residency saw over a half million fans attend concerts.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown … this is for my people, my culture, and our history,” Bad Bunny said of his booking.
Bad Bunny has also received praise for his acting roles, including being in the movies “Bullet Train,” “Caught Stealing” and “Happy Gilmore 2.”
One item that will likely be closely watched is whether Bad Bunny will perform any songs in Spanish or use his performance to make political statements.
Bad Bunny didn’t include U.S. locations on his recent tour and later said one of the reasons was out of fear and safety of his fans with the potential that ICE would make arrests and deportations outside his concerts and target his fan base.
The musician has been accused of making anti-Trump comments in the past and could divide the NFL fan base over his halftime show selection. President Donald Trump was the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl when he was present at Super Bowl LIX. It is unknown if he will return to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, where Bad Bunny will perform live.
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The Potential Super Bowl Halftime Winners
Comcast could be the biggest winner from booking a top global superstar, a musician who could bring in a larger global audience for America’s most-watched television event. Each year, the Super Bowl halftime show is the most-watched musical event of the year.
Last year, Kendrick Lamar helped Fox Corp. set new Super Bowl viewership records. The game averaged 127.7 million viewers to watch the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. The halftime performance averaged 133.5 million viewers, breaking records.
Comcast has been seeking up to $8 million for each 30-second ad during the Super Bowl. While the media company is sold out of ad slots, they likely held some last-minute slots and could capitalize now after the performer was announced.
Apple Music is the official sponsor of the halftime show and collaborates with the artist involved. Apple will be able to promote its products, music platforms and more ahead of the big game, during the Super Bowl and after. Apple’s halftime shows have received critical praise with the past several earnings multiple Emmy Award nominations, including Lamar’s show last year that received four nominations.
Bad Bunny has been one of the most streamed artists on Spotify Technology SA (NYSE: SPOT) in recent years, ranking third in 2024, and could provide a boost to streaming of his newer albums ahead of and after the Super Bowl.
Another potential winner is Sony Group Corp (NYSE: SONY). The company owns a stake in Rimas Entertainment, the home of Bad Bunny’s albums. Sony also owns The Orchard, the distribution company that distributes Bad Bunny and other Rimas Entertainment albums.
While Super Bowl halftime performers aren’t paid for their performance, they often see huge sales spikes of albums, songs and streams during and after the game. Musicians can also see spikes in demand for upcoming tour tickets demand.
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