On The Petition for George Strait to Play the Super Bowl

Random Notes 27 Comments


Those who’ve frequented this dark corner of the internet over the last few years probably know that the exclusion of country music from the Super Bowl halftime show for now 32 consecutive seasons is a cause célèbre around these parts. It seems extremely odd that one of the most popular genres in American music has been systemically overlooked for the most-watched event in America each year, save for National Anthem performances and other preambles.

Because of this, you might think Saving Country Music would be a staunch supporter of the petition currently circulating demanding that “King” George Strait replace Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime entertainment, especially since it’s gained a head of steam, cresting over 60,000 signatures. After all, Strait’s record-setting sellout at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas in 2024 has been cited specifically in the advocacy for a country artist to be featured come Super Bowl time.

And make no mistake about it, George Strait would make an excellent pick for the job. Forget current streaming numbers and other such metrics that some are citing to splash cold water on the idea. Strait remains a massive football stadium draw, one of the most popular and successful American artists of all time, and would definitely have folks tuning in as opposed to tuning out during the intermission.

When performers like Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, and even Usher in 2024 were booked for the halftime show, they weren’t booked due to to their popularity among the current youth. They were booked because they were legends, and appeal for their music was virtually universal. They were also booked because they brought a level of gravity to the performance, not just hype.

But this George Strait petition is expending a lot of energy in a wrong direction, and won’t actually address the underlying problem with how the NFL picks these performers, especially when it comes to passing over country acts. The next Super Bowl Halftime Performer is done and dusted. It’s going to be Bad Bunny. 6 million signatures won’t change that. The contracts have been signed. And if the NFL changed directions now, the backlash will be 10-times what it currently is for picking Bad Bunny in the first place.

Bad Bunny is not the problem, even if he’s not your taste. As many have pointed out, he’s one of the most popular artists on the planet at the moment. And have you watched an NFL game recently? The league is pandering obsequiously for an international following, from the commercials they run, to the little foreign flags on the backs of player helmets. The NFL is obsessed with growing the financial pie, and want to take football to the world to do so. Bad Bunny is part of that big overarching strategy.

Furthermore, the opposition to Bad Bunny is being used for claims of racism and insensitivity, fair or not. Is that what’s driving most of the signatures on the petition? I sure hope not. Is it driving a few of them? Probably so. And by throwing George Strait’s name in the mix, he’s catching strays and taking collateral damage that he doesn’t deserve. But this is also being driven by a lot of misunderstanding, on both sides of the political divide.

George Strait is from Poteet, TX—a small town south of San Antonio. The Latino population of Poteet is 88%. If you go to a George Strait show in Texas, you’ll see that the majority of his audience is Latino. There are many Latino football fans who would love to see George Strait perform. And country music is not strictly a White person’s genre. It represents a wide swath of the American experience, as diversity advocates love to point out. So this is not the White vs. Brown issue some are making it out to be.

But this petition is also taking a wild leap of faith that George Strait even wants the gig. He’s famous for swerving away from any and all controversy. Even if in some fantasy scenario the NFL ousted Bad Bunny, George Strait is unlikely to step up into what would be a very controversial spot. The Super Bowl halftime performance has been Taylor Swift’s to lose for the last few years, and she’s side stepped it continuously, saying it’s not worth the hassle.

So what should country music fans be petitioning for? A much better place to start would be petitioning for any country star to perform the Super Bowl halftime show in 2027, whoever that country star might be. And no, this doesn’t immediately mean it would have to be Morgan Wallen, or Shaboozey, or some big, polarizing mainstream personality. George Strait would be a great place to start, or someone like Chris Stapleton, or Luke Combs, with guest appearances by Tyler Childers, Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings, etc.

So sign the George Strait Super Bowl petition if you want. Or, don’t sign it. If nothing else, it signals that country fans demand to be represented in the process. But let’s not take our eye off the ball on the bigger issue at play here, and it’s even bigger than football, the Super Bowl, or some 12-minute performance.

Country music is constantly slotted as second-class when it comes to the greater American culture, even when it’s more popular than ever like it is now, and more popular than any other genre. Country music doesn’t look to dominate other genres, or take over the American culture. It’s just wants to be country. If anything, country doesn’t want to be adopted by the rest of culture, because that dilutes what’s cool and unique about it.

But country music does want to be respected. And for 32 straight years, the disrespect from the NFL has been palpable. Hopefully that streak ends soon. And sure, when it comes time for the next decision, as the record holder of the 2nd and 4th largest ticketed events in North American history, George Strait wouldn’t be a bad pick for Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and the NFL to make.

But above all, let’s make sure country is considered at all, for the Super Bowl halftime, or whenever the country congregates to collectively enjoy this melting pot culture we’ve all helped create. Because country music has been a big part of that.

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