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August 28, 2014
IM -In what could be deemed the most colossal pay to play scheme ever, the NFL has reportedly asked potential Super Bowl halftime performers if they would be willing to pay the league to play at its big game.
“It’s not like the NFL and its Super Bowl organizers don’t have any money and can’t afford to pay for halftime show performances; it’s about the insatiable thirst for profits at the expense of great musical entertainment and those who create it. You can find kickback schemes like this coming from unscrupulous bar and nightclub owners, but for the NFL to descend to such depths would be unconscionable,” says AFM President Ray Hair.
The AFM will bring the matter up for discussion with the AFL-CIO’s Department of Professional Employees, which includes representatives from all US art and entertainment unions, including the NFL Players Association.
Though the NFL doesn’t usually pay the performing halftime acts, this seems to be a new low. A 30-second TV commercial cost $3.8 million and there were 45 minutes of advertisements during the game. The league’s annual revenue is more than $9 billion, and Commissioner Roger Goodell says he would like to reach $25 billion by 2027.