Copyright MassLive
Sting will perform for a separate NFL audience amid backlash of the Super Bowl’s Halftime Show, which will be headlined by Bad Bunny. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee will headline a Super Bowl-branded concert at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Friday, Feb. 6, the NFL’s hospitality provider, On Location, announced Tuesday. The show will take place two days before Super Bowl LX goes down at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, Feb. 8. “Every breath you take in the Bay will be legendary when you see what’s in store for our weekend of music entertainment for #SuperBowlLX," On Location wrote in a Facebook post. “Join us for a exclusive concert experience with Sting.” The company is selling VIP packages at Super Bowl LX Studio 60 as part of the concert. The experience includes access to the show, all-inclusive food and beverage stations and appearances by NFL players, according to the event page. Packages start at $750 a person. Sting’s show announcement comes as the NFL has been criticized for having Bad Bunny as this year’s halftime show headliner. The Puerto Rican superstar was announced as the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer on Sept. 28. In addition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials saying they will be present at the show, a petition on Change.org wanting Bad Bunny to be replaced with country music legend George Strait has reached more than 96,000 signatures. The petition, organized by Kar Shell, implies that Bad Bunny is an “international artist,” despite his being from Puerto Rico, a protectorate of the United States whose residents are U.S. citizens. “In recent years, this performance has leaned increasingly towards modern pop and international artists,” the petition reads. “While this approach certainly broadens the audience, it’s pivotal to remember the roots that have made American music what it is today.” Strait, who has sold more than 60 million records worldwide, “embodies the heart and soul of American music,” according to the petition. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell previously reaffirmed the league’s decision to have Bad Bunny perform at the Super Bowl. “He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters on Wednesday at the annual fall owners meeting, per The Associated Press. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value. It’s carefully thought through.” The NFL’s decision to feature Bad Bunny was met with criticism from some due to his all-Spanish discography. President Donald Trump even weighed in on the controversy. “I’ve never heard of him,” the president said when asked about the NFL’s decision. “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.” Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Martínez Ocasio, was the most-streamed artist globally on Spotify from 2020 to 2022. His album “Un Verano Sin Ti” remains the most-streamed album on the platform and was the first Spanish-language record nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. He was most recently recognized as the top Latin artist of the 21st Century at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards last Thursday, Oct. 23.
