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Turning Point USA launches rival Super Bowl halftime show amid NFL backlash

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Turning Point USA is launching a star-studded alternative to the Super Bowl halftime show, unveiling a patriotic concert it says will celebrate faith, family and freedom.

The event – titled “The All-American Halftime Show” – is scheduled to air around 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 8 and will feature performances from artists including Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett, according to the nonprofit organization.

“We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath,” Kid Rock said in a statement. “Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible…or is it?”

The concert will air opposite the NFL’s official halftime show, headlined by Latin music star Bad Bunny – a selection that has sparked backlash from some conservatives.

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A promo for TPUSA's alternative halftime show.

The event – titled “The All-American Halftime Show” – is scheduled to air around 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 8 and will feature performances from artists including Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett. (Turning Point USA)

“He’s said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America,” Rock said.

Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital the alternative broadcast is intended to provide families with another viewing option. 

And unlike a massive stadium show where the action can feel distant, this will be an immersive, high-energy experience that “lets the viewer up close and personal,” Kolvet said.

“‘The All-American Halftime Show’ is an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom,” Kolvet said. “… We can’t wait to watch the incredible show they’re about to put on. We know millions around the country will be watching too.”

The Super Bowl, set for Feb. 8, will feature the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks, with Bad Bunny headlining the official halftime performance – a choice that has continued to draw criticism, including from President Donald Trump.

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Musician Kid Rock performs.

“We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath,” Kid Rock said of the event. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump told Newsmax of the choice last fall. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Last year, Bad Bunny said he avoided scheduling U.S. tour dates over concerns that Latino fans could be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

“But there was the issue of — like, f—ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he told i-D Magazine in an interview published in September.

Trump has since said he plans to skip the game, criticizing the halftime performers and citing the California location as too far away.

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Bad Bunny met gala.

Bad Bunny has previously expressed concern that ICE could turn up outside his concerts. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Adding to the controversy, Green Day is slated to perform ahead of kickoff. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has been openly critical of Trump in the past.

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Turning Point USA’s halftime show will stream across the organization’s YouTube, X, and Rumble platforms and will also air on Sinclair Broadcast Group’s OTT channel CHARGE!, available through services including Samsung Plus, YouTube TV, Hulu and Sling.

Additional distribution partners include Daily Wire+, Real America’s Voice, One America News Network and others.

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik and Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

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