Millions of Americans were presented with two different options for how to spend their Super Bowl halftime: either watch the Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny or tune into Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show,” which was to be aired on the right-wing group’s social media platforms, including Elon Musk’s X. However, X was forced to alter those plans at the last minute.

“UPDATE: Due to licensing restrictions, we are unable to stream The All-American Halftime Show on X,” Turning Point USA wrote on X. “Head on over to our YouTube channel tonight around 8 PM ET to watch the full show.”

This update arrived on Sunday, only hours before the performance was scheduled to air. Until that point, the group had continued promoting the event as an alternative viewing option during Super Bowl LX, which drew a lot of attention. That’s because no contenders have ever challenged the halftime show since 1992, when Fox’s In Living Color drew 20 million viewers.

With X no longer part of the broadcast plan, the event lost access to an estimated 100 million U.S. users. Yet, the moment TPUSA launched the show, led by musician Kid Rock, on YouTube and its other digital platforms, supporters showed up. When Kid Rock took the stage, Turning Point USA’s YouTube stream climbed to roughly 5.2 million viewers before dipping slightly once his set ended. He had opened the evening by performing an acoustic version of The Star-Spangled Banner, and the energy carried through the rest of the show.

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The production went off without a hitch, avoiding any technical problems. Several other artists made an impact, with Gabby Barrett emerging as a standout artist. While 5.2 million viewers is not a small number, Bad Bunny’s NFL halftime show has been expected to pull in more than 110 million viewers.

The TPUSA show was also live on many smaller cable networks and streaming outlets, including Real America’s Voice, Charge!, DailyWire+, The National News Desk, and Trinity Broadcasting Network. How many viewers tuned in to watch TPUSA’s show across all these platforms will only be available on or after Monday. As of now, it is thought that the viewership has surpassed expectations.

Turning Point USA framed its production as family-friendly

In contrast to the NFL’s official halftime show, which featured Bad Bunny, Turning Point USA framed its production as a family-friendly counter.

“The All-American Halftime Show will be a unique, patriotic event proudly celebrating American culture, freedom, and faith,” TPUSA proclaimed, setting expectations for a program aimed at a very specific audience.

But its cancellation on X caught many viewers off guard. After all, many supporters were already preparing to watch the show on X, where Turning Point USA regularly streams its events and political programming. However, the group clarified that parts of the halftime show included material that could not air on the platform because of digital rights limitations tied to X. Because of that, Elon Musk was forced to cancel the show on X.

Musk’s platform operates under different copyright standards than YouTube, which offers more flexibility for music and entertainment broadcasts. So, TPUSA decided the safest move was to relocate the entire show to YouTube.

However, the group did not specify which elements triggered the restriction.

Brett Favre was in favor of the All-American Halftime Show

The All-American Halftime Show grabbed attention as soon as its lineup became public. It featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, which immediately appealed to fans looking for something familiar. Because of that, even NFL figures joined the conversation, including former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

Sharing his thoughts on X, Favre made his preference clear.

“Not familiar with Bad Bunny so don’t know if his music is good or bad,” Favre wrote on X. “I’m just going to watch what I know Lee Brice, Kid Rock All-American Halftime Show.”

The All-American Halftime Show was streamed live on Turning Point USA’s official YouTube channel, along with The Charlie Kirk Show channel. At the same time, viewers also watched the show on Rumble through Turning Point USA’s verified page, giving fans multiple streaming options.

Beyond that, accessibility was a major selling point. These platforms allow fans to watch easily on both desktop and mobile devices, no matter where they are. Meanwhile, for viewers who still prefer traditional television, several broadcast partners carried the show nationwide.