Turning Point USA’s Patriotic Halftime Show Draws Over 5.7 Million Viewers Amid Super Bowl Controversy
By Nicole Weatherholtz | Monday, 09 February 2026 09:17 AM EST
Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show attracted more than 5.7 million viewers on Sunday as a patriotic alternative to the NFL’s controversial Super Bowl LX halftime act, according to Total Pro Sports.
The conservative youth organization organized the hour-long event following the NFL’s decision to feature Bad Bunny—a Puerto Rican rapper singing in Spanish—as its official halftime headliner, which sparked backlash on the right.
Social media users speculated the alternative programming may have garnered close to 30 million views across platforms due to challenges in measuring streaming audiences. Arizona state Senator Jake Hoffman noted on X: “The NFL’s stranglehold on culture is dead—30 MILLION+ eyeballs watched @TPUSA’s All-American halftime show.”
Another user reposted Hoffman, stating: “There were over 10 million screens streaming this. Meaning there were over 30 million views leaving the Super Bowl to watch it.”
TPUSA billed the event as a celebration of “faith, family and freedom” and streamed it across social media channels. The show also aired on Real America’s Voice, TBN, The National News Desk, Charge!, and The Daily Wire.
The program featured performances by country musicians Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, accompanied by TPUSA’s signature pyrotechnics and lighting effects. Kid Rock opened with a rousing guitar rendition of “America the Beautiful,” setting a patriotic tone. He was followed by Brantley Gilbert, who performed two songs from his catalog. Gabby Barrett then sang her hits “I Hope” and “One of the Good Ones,” before handing off to Lee Brice, who delivered “Drinking Class” and “Cry.”
Kid Rock returned for the closing segment after roughly a half-hour, by which point the NFL’s official Super Bowl halftime show had concluded. He performed a stripped-down version of Cody Johnson’s “’Til You Can’t,” adding a verse about Jesus, as attendees waved their glowing wristbands in the darkened venue.
The performances ended just before 9 p.m. with an in memoriam tribute to Charlie Kirk. Organizers framed the viewership total—significantly lower than the Super Bowl’s overall audience—as evidence of strong interest in conservative-leaning entertainment during television’s biggest night. Critics highlighted the event as a symbol of cultural divisions over major entertainment choices, with supporters praising TPUSA and detractors dismissing it as niche.
President Donald Trump criticized Bad Bunny’s halftime performance on Sunday via Truth Social, calling it “absolutely terrible.” In his post, Trump stated: “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World.”
