Petition Demands George Strait Replace Bad Bunny at Super Bowl Halftime
As the 2026 Super Bowl LX approaches, a heated debate has erupted surrounding the selection of headliner for the halftime show. The National Football League (NFL), in partnership with Roc Nation and Apple Music, announced in late September that Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny will headline the February 8, 2026 event in Santa Clara, California.
Shortly after the announcement, a petition began circulating on Change.org calling for country music legend George Strait to replace Bad Bunny — and the signatures have now rapidly climbed above 50,000.
What the Petition Says
The petition asserts that the Super Bowl halftime show should “unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly.” It argues that recent halftime shows have “leaned increasingly towards modern pop and international artists,” and urges a return to what the initiator describes as the “roots that have made American music what it is today.”
It states explicitly that Bad Bunny “represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage,” while George Strait is portrayed as embodying “unity, tradition, and the timeless American music that truly deserves the 2026 Super Bowl spotlight.”
While the petition highlights Strait’s four-decade career and his country-music credentials, it also acknowledges that his current commercial reach is far less than Bad Bunny’s streaming and social-media numbers.
Why This is About More Than Music
The controversy quickly escalated beyond typical fan-petitions and entered the realm of culture wars. Conservative commentators and political figures criticized the Bad Bunny selection — some claiming the NFL is promoting foreign languages or LGBTQ themes in the halftime slot. For example, former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that ICE agents would be present at the halftime show, linking the choice of Bad Bunny to immigration and security concerns.
On the other side, supporters of Bad Bunny point to his global influence and the significance of a Spanish-language act headlining one of television’s most-watched spectacles. For many Latino fans and culture observers, his selection represents broader representation and the diversification of American music.
One academic quoted in media coverage, Dr. Nate Rodriguez of San Diego State, said:
Bad Bunny himself … embodies what it is to be American, it embodies what it means to be diverse, it embodies what it means to have a dream and achieve it.
Bad Bunny’s Response
Bad Bunny (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) is a U.S. citizen by virtue of his birthplace in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated U.S. territory.
In response to criticism of his selection and to naysayers, the artist made headlines again when, during a recent episode of Saturday Night Live, he told critics: “You have four months to learn Spanish.”
Further, he previously stated he skipped U.S. cities in his world tour partly because he feared that “f—ing ICE could be outside [my concert].”
George Strait’s Role in the Debate
George Strait, often called the “King of Country,” has over forty years in the music industry and dozens of hits. The petition frames him as a safer, more “traditional” choice for the February event.
However, media reports stress that Strait has no indication of wanting the halftime slot or being in contention, and his current cultural reach does not match that of Bad Bunny, particularly among younger and global audiences.
With the petition now surpassing 50,000 signatures, the debate over whether Bad Bunny should be the halftime headliner continues to draw attention. But as of now, the official lineup remains unchanged, and the NFL appears poised to proceed with Bad Bunny’s performance in February.
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