The Super Bowl transcend socks. Many people agree who are not sports fans the legendary ads, the movie trailers, the general spectacle and the star-studded Pepsi-sponsored rest time show. This year’s game takes place Sunday in Tampa, Florida, with the hometown of Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom “Big Coat” Brady reigns supreme champion Kansas City Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes. The headliner is Grammy Award-winning singer The Weeknd, and the musician is enthusiastic about playing.
“We’re all growing up after the world’s biggest performances playing the Super Bowl, and one can only dream of being in that position,” the singer said in a statement. “I am humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year.”
Ready for the week: who is he?
The Weeknd, born into Ethiopian immigrant parents, began his career in the 21st century – songs he uploaded to YouTube in 2010.
According to Grammy.com, he chose his stage name because he left high school and ‘went away one weekend and never came home again. An ‘e’ is missing from his stage name, as there was already a Canadian orchestra known as The Weekend.
He has since won three Grammys, eight Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and nine Juno Awards. He has appeared three times as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Its last SNL appearance took place in March 2020, just before the pandemic shut down most things. In the show, he shocked the audience with his bandaged face, but the appearance was part of the act.
“The importance of the whole headband reflects the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrities and people who manipulate themselves for superficial reasons to please and be empowered,” he told Variety in a teasing and mysterious interview. (The New York Post has a long roster for the singer’s bloody connection.)
What is expected?
We do not know if The Weeknd will wear facials during the big game, but he does not wear them in a 30-second ad for his halftime performance. In it he is dressed in an all-black outfit, complete with leather jacket and shiny shoes, and seen through a stadium tunnel in the direction of the field.
In a ten-minute press conference, The Weeknd confirmed that he put his own money into just getting the Super Bowl set he wants. Although the organizers of the games cover all production costs, the singer raised $ 7 million to “make the half-time program he intended,” his manager told Billboard. He definitely had to get creative with the performance, which usually takes place right in the middle of the soccer field – but it could be different this year.
“Because of COVID and for the safety of the players and the workers, we built the stage in the stadium … I’m not going to tell you anything else, because you’ll have to watch Sunday.”
When a local Tampa reporter asked if The Weeknd would include the stadium’s built-in pirate ship, he said he would, to some extent, not give details. The 103-foot ship is located on the north side and was manufactured by the same company that manufactures Disney props. His cannons fire when the home team Buccaneers score points, and an animatronic parrot chats regularly with fans.
Former Super Bowl artists have included special guests in their show, but as it takes a social distance, The Weeknd said no other artists will join him.
COVID-19 changes
In the past, fans were part of the rest time show that surrounded the artists on the field, like a real club show. Do not expect it this year.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, new health and safety guidelines will be in place for the entire event. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa typically has more than 65,000 residents, but due to pandemic restrictions, only 25,000 fans will attend the game, including 7,500 vaccinated health workers who received free tickets.
Fans will be socially distanced in ‘seats’, reports People magazine. They also have to wear masks, get free hand sanitizer and pay for food or souvenirs with contactless payment options.
How to watch
The Super Bowl airs on Sunday, February 7, at 6:30 PM ET (3:30 PM) on CBS and is Livestreamed for free on the CBS Sports app, on mobile devices and on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. The NFL and Yahoo Sports mobile applications will also stream the games for free on phones and tablets.
CBSSports.com will stream the game on its website, without requiring pay-TV verification. Mobile apps for CBS Sports, the NFL app and Yahoo Sports will also stream the games for free on phones and tablets.
Those who want to watch TV can do so with the CBS Sports app on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. Other options include AirPlaying from an iOS device or Chromecasting to an Android TV or Google Chromecast streaming dongle from an Android phone or tablet. If all else fails, you can always connect a computer to the HDMI port of your TV.
YouTube TV costs $ 65 a month and includes all the channels NFL fans need: CBS, ESPN, and the NFL Network. Enter your zip code on the welcome page to see what local networks are available in your area.
FuboTV costs $ 65 a month for its family plan and includes CBS plus ESPN and the NFL network for all the fun before the Super Bowl. Click here to see which local channels you get.
Looking for more ways to look? We have an extensive breakdown of the many ways CBS or other services can get the game into us How to view the post.
Watch YouTube if you miss the game
Last year’s dance-heavy performance appears Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Immediately after the show, the NFL posted the full 14-minute performance on YouTube for free viewing. It looks like the league will probably post on the NFL YouTube account again after the break this year, and we’ll link to this if they do.
Here’s last year’s show while we wait:
More Super Bowl Music
Although he will not have guests during his performance, The Weeknd will not be the only well-known singer to perform at the Super Bowl. The national anthem will be a duet performed by Grammy nominees Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church.
Before the national anthem, Grammy-winning singer HER America will sing the Beautiful.
And there will be even more music after the game. Verizon is hosting Big Concert for Small Business, a live music event hosted by Tiffany Haddish and featuring artists such as Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Christina Aguilera, Luke Bryan and Miley Cyrus, in addition to more from HER, Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church.
The concert will be broadcast on Verizon’s Twitter, TikTok, Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as on Yahoo, Fios and iHeartRadio, start after the game at 20:00 PT. Organizers are encouraging fans to make a $ 10 donation to support small businesses by sending SMALLBIZ to 20222.
Matt Elliott and CNET’s Eli Blumenthal contributed to this story.
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