AFM President Blasts NFL Super Bowl Halftime Kickback Scheme

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CONTACT: Antoinette Follett
(315) 422-4488 ext. 106
afollett@bentley-hall.com

New York, NY – In what could be deemed the most colossal pay to play scheme ever, the National Football League (NFL) has reportedly asked potential Super Bowl halftime performers if they would be willing to pay the league to play at its big game.
“It’s not like the NFL and its Super Bowl organizers don’t have any money and can’t afford to pay for halftime show performances, it’s about the insatiable thirst for profits at the expense of great musical entertainment and those who create it. You can find kickback schemes like this coming from unscrupulous bar and nightclub owners, but for the NFL to descend to such depths would be unconscionable,” said American Federation of Musicians International President Ray Hair.
The AFM will bring the matter up for discussion with the AFL-CIO’s Department of Professional Employees which includes representatives from all US art and entertainment unions, including the NFL Players Association.
Though the NFL doesn’t usually pay the performing halftime acts, this seems to be a new low. The NFL has reportedly shortlisted its choices for next year’s Super Bowl halftime show to Rihanna, Coldplay and Katie Perry, and was also reported to have requested a portion of post-show tour earnings to secure the booking. A 30-second TV commercial cost $3.8 million and there were 45 minutes of advertisements during the game. The league’s annual revenue is more than $9 billion, and Commissioner Roger Goodell says he would like to reach $25 billion by 2027.