In a stunning escalation of the ongoing Super Bowl halftime controversy, Detroit Lions principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp has thrown down the gauntlet against Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar tapped to headline the 2026 show. Speaking exclusively to ESPN ahead of the Lions’ Week 8 bye, Hamp – a key member of the NFL’s Super Bowl and Pro Bowl Committees – declared she would “use every ounce of influence and power” at her disposal to prevent the Grammy-winning artist from performing. The remarks come in the wake of Bad Bunny’s recent comments on U.S. immigration policies, which have ignited a firestorm among conservative figures, including President Donald Trump, and now appear to have drawn the ire of one of the league’s most influential owners.
The feud traces back to late September, when the NFL, Roc Nation, and Apple Music announced Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) as the headliner for Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The selection marked a historic milestone: the first halftime show performed entirely in Spanish, spotlighting the 31-year-old’s global dominance with hits like “Titi Me Preguntó” and “Un x100to.” Bad Bunny’s announcement video – a surreal clip of him lounging on a goalpost in flip-flops amid crashing waves – went viral, boosting his Spotify streams by 40% overnight.
But the backlash was swift and fierce from MAGA circles. In an i-D magazine interview earlier this month, Bad Bunny explained his decision to exclude U.S. mainland dates from his 2025-2026 world tour, citing fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting immigrant fans: “F**king ICE could be outside my concert.” He doubled down on Saturday Night Live’s season 51 premiere, mocking critics during a monologue: “They say I hate America? Nah, I just don’t want my show turning into a deportation party.” President Trump, appearing on Newsmax, dismissed the artist he’d “never heard of” as un-American, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that ICE agents would be “all over” the Super Bowl, vowing the NFL “won’t sleep at night.” Far-right influencers piled on, branding Bad Bunny a “demonic Marxist” and calling for boycotts, with one X post decrying the show as an “anti-ICE rally.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pushed back hard during Wednesday’s Fall League Meeting presser, insisting the league stands by its choice: “He’s one of the most popular entertainers in the world… We’re confident it’ll be a great show.” Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis echoed that sentiment Thursday, shrugging off detractors: “Not everyone has to like everything we do.” Bad Bunny himself trolled the outrage on Instagram, posting a beachside photo captioned “Super Bowl LX” with a winking emoji.
Enter Sheila Ford Hamp, the 74-year-old scion of the Ford automotive dynasty and Lions owner since 2020, whose tenure has transformed Detroit from perennial punchline to NFC contenders (37-10 since late 2022). As a committee member overseeing major events, Hamp wields significant sway in NFL decisions. In her ESPN interview, she cited Bad Bunny’s “divisive” remarks as crossing a line: “This isn’t about music; it’s about patriotism and unity. His comments undermine the values our league – and this country – stands for, especially amid real threats at our borders. I will use every ounce of influence and power to ensure he doesn’t take that stage.” Hamp, a Yale-educated philanthropist with a background in education, has long championed Lions’ community initiatives but rarely wades into politics publicly – making her intervention all the more seismic.
The Lions organization, riding high after a 24-9 Monday Night Football rout of the Buccaneers that improved them to 5-2, distanced itself from Hamp’s stance in a statement: “Mrs. Hamp’s views are her own; the Lions support the NFL’s entertainment decisions and focus on football.” Head coach Dan Campbell, known for his fiery sideline presence, sidestepped questions post-practice: “We’re here to win games, not book shows.” Yet, the ripple effects are immediate: Turning Point USA, the conservative group founded by Charlie Kirk, announced “Super Bowl counterprogramming” to protest, while Latino advocacy groups like UnidosUS decried Hamp’s words as “xenophobic.”
Hamp’s vow raises thorny questions about owner influence in league programming. Roc Nation’s Jay-Z, who produces the halftime show, has historically navigated such pressures – from Janet Jackson’s 2004 “wardrobe malfunction” fallout to Kendrick Lamar’s politically charged 2025 performance. Bad Bunny’s set, expected to blend reggaeton anthems with social commentary, could draw 130 million viewers, amplifying his message on Puerto Rican issues like Hurricane Maria’s aftermath and colonial inequities.
As the NFL’s fall meetings wrap, eyes are on Goodell for a response. Will Hamp’s clout force a rethink, or is this the latest salvo in a culture war that’s already boosted Bad Bunny’s profile? With the Lions eyeing a deep playoff run – and perhaps a Super Bowl berth in their own backyard by 2028 – Hamp’s gambit underscores the high stakes. For now, the performer remains unfazed, teasing on X: “See you in Santa Clara… or not. 🇵🇷” The halftime clock is ticking.
