Divided Screens: Analyzing the Viewership of the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Shows
This Super Bowl Sunday, football fans were presented with a rare cultural split-screen experience. Audiences had to choose between two distinct mid-game spectacles: Bad Bunny’s high-energy official NFL production and Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show.”
While the NFL’s marquee event is a perennial ratings juggernaut—following Kendrick Lamar’s record-shattering 133.5 million viewers in 2025—TPUSA’s alternative broadcast successfully carved out a substantial digital niche. Positioned as a direct response to the league’s selection of a Spanish-language headliner, the “All-American” lineup leaned heavily into country music, featuring performances by Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett. The event was broadcast exclusively via a YouTube live stream.
The digital engagement metrics reveal a significant level of interest in the alternative program. Within 24 hours of the broadcast, the TPUSA special amassed more than 19 million views. In the same window, the official video of Bad Bunny’s stadium performance garnered over 24 million views on YouTube. According to reports from The New York Times, the “All-American Halftime Show” maintained a peak concurrent live audience of approximately 6.1 million viewers while the main event took place in Santa Clara.
The road to the 2026 championship game—which saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29-13—was paved with cultural debate. Following Apple Music’s announcement of Bad Bunny as the headliner, several conservative figures and members of the Trump administration voiced their disapproval, framing the choice as a departure from traditional American themes.
However, the six-time Grammy winner—a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico—utilized his platform at Levi’s Stadium to celebrate the intersection of his heritage and his nationality. His set concluded with a pointed message of unity, as he held up a football emblazoned with the words, “Together, we are American.” The performance was further elevated by surprise appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, while stars like Pedro Pascal, Karol G, and Cardi B supported him from the stage.
Check out the “All-American Halftime Show” broadcast below:
