Bad Bunny’s halftime set pulled in far more viewers than Turning Point USA’s alternative broadcast headlined by Kid Rock.
According to Nielsen data cited by The Daily Beast, the Puerto Rican superstar attracted a staggering 128.2 million viewers between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday (Feb. 8).
That total is about 20 times the 6.1 million viewers who tuned in on YouTube to watch Turning Point USA’s pre-recorded “All-American Halftime Show” during the same time frame.
Nielsen further revealed that 124.9 million viewers watched the Super Bowl overall, ranking it as the second most-watched edition ever, trailing only Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime show. Meanwhile, 137.8 million Americans tuned in during the game’s second quarter, marking the highest peak viewership in U.S. history.
Turning Point USA had billed its halftime alternative as “a unique, patriotic event proudly celebrating American culture, freedom, and faith.”
Ahead of the broadcast, “The All-American Halftime Show” hit a snag, announcing it wouldn’t be able to stream performances on X because of “licensing restrictions.”
The event — featuring Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett, and a classical string duo — was reportedly recorded in advance in Atlanta, Georgia.
Following claims that Kid Rock lip synced during the show, the 55-year-old addressed the accusations in a video posted to his social media.
“My halftime performance was pre recorded but performed live. No lipsycing like the haters and fake news are trying to report,” he said. “When they synced the cameras to my performance on Bawitdaba, it did not line up…”
President Donald Trump, who appeared not to have watched Turning Point USA’s halftime broadcast, took aim at Bad Bunny’s performance, describing it as “an affront to the Greatness of America” and “a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country.”
It’s important to remember that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and anyone born there — including Bad Bunny — is a U.S. citizen. However, the island isn’t treated as a state, and residents cannot vote in presidential elections.
