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Super Bowl Halftime Show 2019: Twitter Rips Maroon 5, Travis Scott Performance
February 4, 2019
The first half of Super Bowl LIII didn't exactly provide a ton of electricity, as the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams combined for three points and 252 yards.
Maroon 5 brought a jolt of energy to the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with their halftime show performance.
Some made light of the game's low score to that point.
After a groundswell of fans spoke up in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, Maroon 5 included a tribute to SpongeBob SquarePants, whose creator Stephen Hillenburg died in November.
The band included a clip from the show's "Band Geeks" episode, which centered on the characters delivering a Super Bowl halftime-like performance. The clip served as a prelude to Travis Scott's arrival.
Reaction appeared to be split, with some disappointed by how briefly SpongeBob was referenced.
When Maroon 5 was confirmed as the Super Bowl halftime act, some questioned why the NFL and Pepsi didn't focus more on a performer with ties to Atlanta. The Southeast region as a whole has produced a number of notable stars.
Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine did address concerns from those who wondered whether the band would use the platform the halftime show provides to advocate for social justice issues.
"They will be [heard]. That's all I want to say because I don't want to spoil anything," he said in an interview on Entertainment Tonight. "I've never been more excited in my life to present this to the people because I believe it's a representation of all of us. We are going to keep doing what we are doing hopefully without becoming politicians to make people understand, we got you."
For the most part, though, Maroon 5 delivered a largely by-the-numbers halftime break.
In general, few fans are likely to put Sunday's production among the best in Super Bowl history. Social media was harsh with its reviews.
The sentiment extended to Scott as well. If anything, the issue was less with Scott than the fact that he had little time to entertain the crowd.
Big Boi was the lone highlight. The Savannah, Georgia, native made a grand entrance, riding a Cadillac on the field, and wore a large fur coat that couldn't have been comfortable in the climate-controlled stadium. Still, he made a big impression with his brief cameo.
By going with Maroon 5, the NFL seemingly opted for the safe choice. Sunday was an example of how that strategy can backfire, though. What the Super Bowl LIII halftime presentation lacked in controversy, it didn't necessarily make up for with entertainment.
Perhaps the NFL will strike a better balance at Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.