Gracie Hunt, the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, has voiced her support for Turning Point USA’s initiative to host an alternative halftime show during the upcoming Super Bowl. Her advocacy aims to directly answer the NFL’s promisingly radical move to include Latin music superstar Bad Bunny in the Super Bowl LX lineup. This extremely popular event takes place on February 8, 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The announcement comes amid the league’s ongoing struggles with rising political pressure over the league’s halftime show entertainment selections.
Hunt’s remarks speak to a cultural moment among fans of the Super Bowl halftime show that has recently begun to crystallize into concern about its current trajectory. She thinks future picks for the halftime show need to reflect a greater emphasis on family friendly performers.
Gracie joined her parents, Tavia and Clark Hunt, at the NFL Honors inside Resorts World Theatre. Here’s what she had to say about the issue at the event. She shone the light on her grandfather, Lamar Hunt. He is widely praised as one of the founding fathers of the modern NFL and arguably most famously invented the name “Super Bowl.”
“When my grandfather named the Super Bowl, he intended it to be something children and families of all ages could come together and watch,” Gracie Hunt stated. Her comments highlight the importance she places on keeping a family-friendly environment at one of the most widely viewed sporting events in America.
The NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny, who Roger Goodell described as “one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” has sparked debate. His admirers laud his wide cross-partisan appeal. While Gracie Hunt might have a point in asserting that entertainment should strive to embody values that appeal to families, she further recommended artists such as Jason Aldean be featured in a future halftime performance.
“An artist like Jason Aldean might make sense,” – Gracie Hunt
Gracie Hunt has pledged her support for this counter-programming effort, emphasizing the need for a halftime show that reflects American values.
“Football is becoming the world sport, but at its heart, it’s America’s sport built around family,” she added. This idea strikes a chord with an ever-larger constituency. They argue that the halftime show’s new path moves away from its core purposes.
The reaction to her halftime show is getting even more intense. Even former NFL cornerback Tavia Hunt expressed similar sentiments regarding the league’s entertainment decisions. She echoed the point of casting role models for younger viewers.
“You know, children are young, they’re impressionable. Young women, young men and everyone, they just need someone to look up to,” Tavia Hunt remarked. This caveat helps underscore the family’s long-standing focus on providing only the best family-friendly entertainment.
Yet the political climate surrounding Super Bowl halftime shows has grown more fraught. This mirrors a larger national debate over racism and intolerance. Gracie Hunt is on a mission to change the NFL’s entertainment selection. She joins an ever-growing movement of fans who think these choices should reflect our values.
Bad Bunny’s selection, which has already drawn criticism, the NFL seems undeterred. For them, his enormous access and fame explain their reasoning. Roger Goodell emphasized the importance of entertainment value in these performances, stating, “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us.”
Speculation over potential future halftime show performers have already begun. She’s committed to expanding family-oriented entertainment, which she says should come first. She wants her grandfather’s vision for the Super Bowl to influence the future decision making about who gets to perform at halftime shows.