The NFL on Tuesday canceled its traditional pre-Super Bowl news conference with stars of its halftime show amid reported criticism in the music world over the treatment of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Three-time Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5 are to headline the halftime concert in Atlanta on Sunday, one of the highlights of the biggest event on the US sporting calendar.
Usually, the musical acts due to perform at the Super Bowl hold a media conference on the Friday before the sporting showpiece.
However, the NFL yesterday confirmed in a statement that no news conference would take place this year.
“Maroon 5 has been working hard on a Pepsi Super Bowl LIII halftime show that will meet and exceed the standards of this event,” the league said in a statement. “As it is about music, the artists will let their show do the talking as they prepare to take the stage this Sunday.”
Instead of the news conference, “a cross-platform rollout of behind-the-scenes footage and content from each of the halftime performers” would get under way, it said.
Meanwhile, Maroon 5, the NFL and Interscope Records yesterday announced a US$500,000 donation to a children’s charity.
Maroon 5 are due to be joined by Atlanta native Big Boi and Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott in Sunday’s show.
More than 75,000 people signed an online petition urging Maroon 5 not to play the Super Bowl as a gesture of support for Kaepernick, who started kneeling protests during pregame US anthem performances as a way to protest racial and social injustice, as well as police brutality.
Kaepernick, a former star for the San Francisco 49ers, has not played in the league since 2016. He has filed a grievance against the NFL and club owners last year, claiming that they have conspired not to hire him.
Artists including singer Rihanna reportedly turned down the halftime show in support of Kaepernick.
Other reports have said that Scott signed on to perform only after the NFL agreed to join him in donating to a social justice cause.
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