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Halftime Show Drama: The Economics of It All

 A few thoughts on the Halftime show:

I live in Canton, OH, about five minutes from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. NE Ohio practically invented professional football as we know it, so it's still like a religion around here (how else can you explain such loyalty to the Browns?). It was the blue-collar American man's game. It was a game of skill, strength, and endurance--everything that built this country, especially the Midwest.

Over time this game we love became a product. Ironically, it once again epitomized the American spirit--we can make anything about money. It eventually overtook baseball as America's favorite pastime. Even yet, it was still a uniquely American game. After all, other countries still refer to it as "American football."

America has a lot of money, but not as much money as the entire world, so it was inevitable that the NFL would begin to push to create an international fanbase. It started with games being held in London, Germany, Mexico, etc. A foreign-language Halftime show during the biggest game of the year is the logical next step. It doubles as an opportunity to look progressive in this cultural moment, but it's really all about money.

There is nothing right or wrong about this. It is simply the way it is. That doesn't mean it feels good. For many viewers, the Halftime show is more than fifteen minutes of mediocre music; it's symbolic of our nation coming together over the few things that still unite us--sports, popular music, and junk food. Even casual fans love the Super Bowl. It really is tantamount to a national holiday.

You can understand, then, why featuring a Spanish-speaking artist, even from a territory ambiguously connected to the United States, would alienate a certain number of viewers. No client base likes to be reminded that they're not the priority anymore. Americans are, first and foremost, consumers. We know what we want and we want businesses to cater to those wants. If your clientele has traditionally been red-blooded meat eaters, don't be surprised when they resent the new 100% vegan menu.

Again, this is not a moral issue. It is a pragmatic, dollars-and-cents issue, which is why it stings so much. We know it's about the money, but we hate to be reminded of it in so obvious a way. Football seems like one of the few pure things left in our society. All we want to do is drink beer, watch grown men in tight pants tackle each other, and sing along to a few of our favorite songs in between halves.

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