Close your eyes and tell me the first image that comes to mind. Image is everything, and for some, everything is about the image. Webster’s Dictionary defines image as:
a mental picture or impression of something, and :a popular conception (as a person, institution, or nation) especially through the mass media.
The Super Bowl is typically the most watched television event annually and the halftime show has been equally viewed in recent years. With news this week that Super Bowl LIII halftime performers Maroon 5 would not be giving the usual press conference leading up Super Bowl weekend, it once again became apparent how far the executives on Park Ave. will go to scrub away at the human stain that holds up the NFL shield.
Criticism has grown stronger in recent weeks toward this years performers Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi about their decision to perform amid the continuing legal battle between the NFL and Colin Kaepernick. The quarterback has alleged that the NFL is colluding against him in retaliation for his protests against police brutality. Several artists, including Cardi B, and Rhianna declined the invitation to perform this year in solidarity with Kaepernick. The artists themselves are generally not paid greatly, feigning the quick payoff for the coverage that comes with performing for the largest television audience of the year. The presser itself is generally short on breaking information. The artists take a moment to answer questions, make a few statements, and put more press on the event. The NFL released the following statement regarding the cancellation,
“Maroon 5 has been working hard on a Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show that will meet and exceed the standards of this event. As it is about the music, the artists will let their show do the talking as they prepare to take the stage this Sunday”
(View original report HERE)
Later they added that instead of a press conference, a variety of behind-the-scenes footage and content from each performer would be released in the coming days.
The NFL should very much be expected to allow its players to speak out on issues of importance. The players in return might find more constructive ways to bring awareness about for issues of such importance rather than a sign of protest on the gridiron. If the fans feel that Colin Kaepernick has not been on an NFL roster because of anything they deem unjust then they should decide to hit the NFL right where it hurts most, in the pocket. For the tail to wag the dog would the fans be willing to stay away from Sunday’s annual broadcast of the Patriots championship game? Would streaming old episodes of “Murder She Wrote”, taking the family to the park, or just simply not watching the game itself speak so loudly that the NFL would have to take notice? There is only one way to find out.
In the words of the immortal John Lennon, “Imagine all the people, sharing all the world” Yeah, image IS everything.
