Will We Get A Cardi Halftime Show Appearance?

…Fully expecting Phil to see his shadow today and announce six more weeks of dreary winter. Something that might warm your heart to hear is that Team OffBall is at the Super Bowl all week! I’ll be providing video and written content, so be sure to share this newsletter with your homies, and to follow us on social. Also, my colleague Dan will be writing and speaking for SPORT BEACH, so stay tuned there.

Are the Grammys commercials the new Super Bowl commercials? Ok, maybe not, but this Jordan spot (which features Niecy Nash, Izzy Harrison, Gabby Williams, Rhyne Howard, Napheesa Collier, and Teyana Taylor) was generational. 

You’re either Team Netflix or Team YouTube, says Jacob Feldman in Club Sportico. The two TV, podcast, and content giants are daytime’s hot new soap opera. By the way, I know podcasts are huge right now, but it doesn’t mean you need to start one. 

In the Premier League, gameday fashion usually consists of a team-issued tracksuits and trainers. But thanks to Liverpool and Tommy Hilfiger’s new partnership, the tunnel fit has gone global. In their first of many key moments this season, the team was styled in all Hilfiger this weekend ahead of their game Saturday. 

If you’re one of the 100 million billion fans getting into hockey right now, there’s a lot you’re gonna need to learn. You know, important stuff, like which teams are “yeeting” replica salmon, that St. Paul may be the best hockey city in the league, and how the Capitals are obsessed with a scene from “Road Trip.”

This intro is written by Latino creator, Luis Miguel Echegaray. Keep scrolling to see the Spanish translation, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show predictions below that. 

On Sunday night, under the Super Bowl lights inside Levi's stadium, for a global audience of more than 100 million people, Bad Bunny will have the biggest 15 minutes of his career — fresh off winning multiple Grammys, by the way. 

For Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, the kid from Vega Baja in Puerto Rico who once bagged groceries, working the register at his local supermarket, and eventually became a superstar, this will be a monumental occasion. For the Latin American community? La Cultura? Puerto Rico and beyond? Equally so.  

To us, you see, Bad Bunny isn’t just an artist. He is a symbol of Latinidad and his music, a Spanish-speaking mix of reggaetón, dembow, salsa, and Latin trap — is our superpower. That’s why I expect his halftime show to be a celebration of our people.

I can’t wait for a truly unforgettable dance. Un baile inolvidable.

“As long as we are alive

We must love as much as we can.” 

EN ESPAÑOL:

El domingo por la noche, bajo las luces del Super Bowl en el estadio Levi's, enfrente de los Estados Unidos y una audiencia global de más de 100 millones de personas, Bad Bunny, recién ganador de varios premios Grammy, tomará el micrófono y protagonizará los 15 minutos más importantes de su carrera.

Para Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, el chamaquito de Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, que hace tiempo trabajaba en el supermercado como empacador y cajero y se convirtió en una superestrella, este momento será trascendental. ¿Y para nuestra cultura? ¿Para Puerto Rico y el resto de América Latina? También será importante.

Para nosotros, Bad Bunny no es solo un artista. El es un símbolo de la latinidad y su música - una mezcla de reggaeton, dembow, salsa y trap latino - es nuestra fuerza sobrehumana.

Por eso mismo, yo anticipo que su show de medio tiempo será una celebración, no solo de él, sino de nuestra gente.

Me siento verdaderamente emocionado de ser testigo de un baile inolvidable.

"Mientras uno está vivo

Uno debe amar lo más que pueda." 

PREDICTIONS: 

Jack Coyne:

• First song: “NUEVAYoL”

• Best Song: “Callaita”

• Surprise Guests: Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, MAYBE Rosalia but that would be crazy. 

• General Predictions: He's got lots of famous fans... I bet they are somehow involved in the story — maybe [Jon] Hamm.

Mario Riveira:

• Any general predictions for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show? It's going to be very Puerto Rican. 

• First song? “Baile INoLVIDABLE”

• Best song? “El ApagÓn”

• Any surprise guests? LaRussell, Drake, or a Bay Area artist like E40, LaRussell, or Drake

Christopher Claxton:

• Any general predictions for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show? Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Show is shaping up to be historic. He’s set to shine a massive spotlight on Latin music on one of the world’s biggest stages. While it’s tough to predict exactly how the performance will unfold, it’s safe to assume his entire catalog will see a boost in streaming and sales once the show wraps.

• First song? I could see him opening with “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” from his sixth solo album and latest project, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTOS.” 

• Best song? His standout performance might come with “Tití Me Preguntó” from “Un Verano Sin Tí.” The song is one of Bad Bunny’s biggest hits and recently surpassed one billion views on YouTube, marking his 19th video to enter the Billion Views Club. It’s high-energy, instantly recognizable, and ready for a stadium moment.

• Any surprise guests? I’m personally hoping for Cardi B. She’ll already be in San Francisco to support her partner, Stefon Diggs, and his Patriots teammates. She’s also scheduled to perform at Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Feb. 7, so she’ll already be in performance mode. If Bad Bunny decides to run “I Like It,” it would only feel right for Cardi to pop out and add to the fun; it’s a song people still love, and the moment would land perfectly.

Brhitney Harbaugh:

I can’t wait to watch his performance and see my culture showcased for the world to see! Bad Bunny is famous worldwide. People who have never watched American football will watch the Super Bowl, and that is pretty cool.

• First song: Although the intro to “Baile Inolvidable” is the most recognizable, it might be too predictable. It would be fun if he started with “La Mudanza.” It’s a great showcase of traditional Puerto Rican music. 

• Best Song: Besides the songs I mentioned, I think he will perform “Titi Me Preguntó” and “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” 2 of his most famous songs. 

• Surprise Guests: Daddy Yankee and Marc Anthony are recognized Puerto Rican artists who would be fun as guests in the show. He has been featured in Cardi B’s “I Like it Like That,” she would be a great guest. 

• General Prediction: He also has a song featuring Drake, and Drake mentions Bad Bunny in his songs. Having him perform would be a wild card, since Kendrick mentioned Drake in his performance last year. 

Did Unrivaled’s success in Philly this weekend put pressure on the WNBA to make a deal? Some people are theorizing it did. And Natasha Cloud has some intense thoughts on it on the matter. 

But let’s back up, because for now, the big story is just how successful Unrivaled was this weekend. Not only did they set a record for women’s basketball attendance (21,490 people attended), but the star power was pretty crazy, too. 

Kyle Lowry and the Philadelphia 76ers were there. 

We learned that Andre Drummond and Marina Mabrey have been close since they were kids, and his presence may have been the reason she scored 27 points in 7 minutes. He’s still looking for the photo of them chest bumping if you have any leads.

Tierra Whack, Wanda Sykes, Leslie Jones were courtside. 

And Philly’s princess, Kylie Kelce, and husband Jason were there, too. 

And Quinta Brunson was there in spirit. 

So, yeah, maybe Unrivaled is officially really unrivaled.