Why Won’t the NFL Book a Country Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Super Bowl LIV is set to go down this Sunday in Miami and, once again, the halftime show WON'T feature a country artist. Why is that?!?

Once again, the NFL has chosen to feature a pair of pop performers for this year's Super Bowl, with Jennifer Lopez and Shakira set to take the stage during halftime (technically, it's called 'the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show') down at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

And once again, I'm wondering why the NFL-- or whoever chooses the entertainment for the halftime show-- has completely ignored all the incredible COUNTRY performers who routinely sell out stadiums across the country. Think about it, NFL: You're REALLY going to go with Jennifer Lopez (when is the last time she even had a hit?!?) over somebody like Garth Brooks or Keith Urban?!?

I mean, can you imagine the spectacle that would happen if Garth Brooks was tapped to do the show? Or Keith Urban? Or maybe even George Strait, who, of course, is coming to Minnesota later this summer? I've seen all of those performers several times in concert and know they're both the real deal-- they're incredible musicians AND performers who are true to the music and know how to entertain a crowd. They'd KILL it at the Super Bowl!

While nobody has come out and said it, I'm thinking the NLF still views country artists as a bunch of hicks, right? It's like Alan Jackson said in his song 'Gone Country.' When it comes to country stars today, "It's changed, you see. They're not as backward as they used to be..."  That song came out in the 90's but it's even truer today. The country format is more popular than ever before, and thanks to up-and-coming artists like Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, and Kelsea Ballerini, it regularly crosses over into the pop world as well.

The last time the NFL featured ANY country act during the Super Bowl halftime show was 25 years ago, back in 1994, when the theme was "Rockin' Country Sunday" (yes, they actually called it that) and Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and Wynonna Judd were all featured.

But that's an eternity ago from today's country performers. It's too late this year, but come on, NFL, wise up-- book a country act to do the halftime show at Super Bowl LIV in Tampa, will ya?

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