Katy Perry Denies Paying to Play Super Bowl Halftime

When Katy Perry officially announced she had been chosen for the Super Bowl Halftime show, everyone began asking just how much the pop star had paid for the gig due to the National Football League’s recent request to try and extort money from performers in a “pay-to-play” scheme.

According to the pop star, who beat out acts like Coldplay and close friend Rihanna for the gig, she didn’t pay a single cent.

At the beginning of the talks, Perry reportedly made it clear that she would not pay to play at “football’s biggest night” saying at the time, “I’m not the kind of girl who would pay to play the Super Bowl.”

In a new interview, it appears that the “Teenage Dream” singer stuck to her guns, claiming that she did not give in to the NFL’s requests.

“I put my foot down very early in the courtship,” explained Perry to the Associated Press.

“I said, ‘Look guys, here’s where I draw a line in the sand.’ I want to be invited on my own merits and not with some fine print. I don’t even care if my contract leaks. I have nothing to hide, basically.”

Perry’s performance will reportedly run 12 minutes long and consists of “two worlds.” Whatever that means.

She already revealed that Lenny Kravitz will be one of her special guests for the performance which might, in a way describe, the whole two world performance idea. Word has also started to spread that Perry would be bringing another special guest for the performance.

At the time, there’s no official confirmation, but some are speculating Rihanna is the other guest.

When asked about her performance, Perry said: “I’m all about female empowerment and uplifting people’s spirit, and people finding their own voice with songs like ‘Roar’ and ‘Firework,’ so maybe there is no better person [for the show]. Hopefully, I can bring that incredible strength and empowerment to people throughout the performance.”

Considering she was the most likely from the initial list to be chosen for the gig, we have a feeling she’ll be able to accomplish just that, even if we are a little bias here.

Super Bowl XLIX will take place on Feb. 1 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in, where else, Phoenix, AZ.

Katy Perry to Reportedly Perform at 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show

The National Football League might have just gotten their wish for the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime show.

Last night, news broke that Katy Perry would be the Super Bowl Halftime performer, though there has not been an official statement from her or her camp, just a lot of talk from “sources.”

The New York Times are citing several sources that “a deal is being hammered out for Katy to play the Super Bowl.” But the newspaper isn’t the only publication with some sources claiming the same, Billboard has some of their own who are reporting the same.

Originally, the NFL had said that they would be interested in either Perry, Coldplay, or Rihanna performing during football’s biggest night, but the response was lackluster.

During an appearance on ESPN last weekend, the pop star told the sports network that she is “not the kind of girl who would pay to play.”

Perry’s dig was against the NFL and their plan to have the halftime artist “pay to play.” Their “request” drew a lot of criticism especially the part which they requested getting a portion of the musician’s future profits that they would make from the Super Bowl exposure. As if not getting paid by the NFL wasn’t bad enough.

In a twist, we would understand why the Super Bowl would be insistent on having Perry perform at the show. From the three named, she ‘s the one who has a wider musical appear. To this date Perry has sold 11 millions albums and 81 million singles, worldwide.

If she does become the official 2015 Super Bowl Halftime performer, she will be the third female to do so; Madonna and Beyoncé previously performed.

Last year’s performance which featured Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, briefly, drew 115.3 million people worldwide, more than the actual game which drew 111.5 million.

We’re just hoping Perry doesn’t play into the NFL’s evil plans.

 

You Me at Six Call NFL’s Pay to Play Bluff

While some people are up in arms about the National Football League’s decision to make artists pay in order to play the famous Halftime Show, it seems that a band from across the pond have decided to call the football giant’s bluff with an offer of their own.

You Me at Six have made an “official” offer the NFL to perform at during the halftime show. The band’s full offer can be read below and believe us when we say that it’s pretty hysterical the conditions the band demanding for certain prices.

Dear NFL:

We’re sorry to hear that you’re in such dire financial straits. While Coldplay and Rihanna mull your offer, we’re here to help with a multi-tiered proposal:

1.      For $2 Million: We get to play the upcoming halftime show.

2.      For $10 Million, one of us gets to quarterback a set of downs for the team of our choosing.

3.      For $40 Million, the Super Bowl will be played with English football rules, where you must use your feet, and an actual ball.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts once you’ve had a chance to review.  We welcome any of the Super Bowl committee to attend one of our upcoming American concerts. Our tour kicks off September 15th at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA.

Warmly,

You Me At Six

(Josh, Dan, Max Chris, Matt)

Yesterday, an article published in the Wall Street Journal claimed that the NFL had decided to charge artists to play the halftime show. At the time of the article, they claimed that the top three contenders for the gig were Rihanna, Coldplay and Katy Perry.

WSJ also revealed that NFL employees were trying to negotiate with the artists, but the reception had been ice-cold. Considering that the NFL wants a piece of the artist’s future tour income or a “financial” donation to the league, we can understand why no one wants to pay to play. Plus, we’re pretty sure a lot of people would love to have “Weird Al” perform this year; they did all come together to form a petition and actually get people to sign it.

Do we need more proof that the NFL are a bunch of scum?

NFL to Charge Artists to Play Halftime Show

We all know that the National Football League does not pay artists to perform at the famous Super Bowl’s Halftime Show because they believe that the exposure that the artists get during “football’s biggest night,” is worth the money the artists are out.

Today, word has gotten out that the NFL will keep up this tradition, but now, they have added something else to the mix; artists will have to pay in order to perform during the high-rated halftime show.

“In a twist this year, the league has asked artists under consideration for the high-profile gig to pay to play,” reports the Wall Street Journal. As if the subject of having to pay to play a show wasn’t already a big issue in the music world for up and coming artists and venues.

Not only did the WSJ report this, but they also claim the league have also revealed the top three contenders for the high-profiled show. Those that are apparently being considered are Rihanna, Coldplay, and Katy Perry. Guess that petition we signed a while ago to get “Weird Al” Yankovich to perform was thrown to the side. Darn.

Though there has been no official confirmation, some NFL employees have allegedly begun to approach the three acts to see if “they would be willing to contribute a portion of their post-Super Bowl tour income to the league, or if they would make some other type of financial contribution in exchange for the halftime gig.”

As it was predicted, the WSJ have claimed that the response to their offer has been less than lackluster. Considering what the NFL wants in return for the gig, they would be lucky to get the guy who plays spoons on the corner to come in and perform for the halftime show. Is it us, or does this somewhat resemble that pesky epidemic of payola which we are sure is still going on. If you aren’t sure what exactly payola is, don’t feel bad, head on over here and get a quick lesson.

M.I.A. Takes on the NFL in a New Video

Remember the middle finger debacle M.I.A found herself in last year when she decided to grace everyone with that finger on live television during Madonna’s Halftime show during Super Bowl XLVI?

Well, looks like it’s come back to bite her in the butt (or finger) because the NFL is now charging the British singer a whopping $1.5 million for her little stunt. The league claims that by her flipping the finger on the live broadcast, that it was a breach of her performance contract and dinged its purportedly wholesome reputation

After it was officially announced that the NFL would be charging the “Paper Planes” singer with that price tag, M.I.A who has been known not to take things laying down, took to Youtube to give a full-blown version of her story. She goes on to say that the league is a “massive corporation d–k shaking” by charging her that amount of money due to one single finger.

She also continues to accuse the NFL of using her as a scapegoat while in the background there were 10 to 15 African-American cheerleaders under the age of 16, striking sexually provocative poses.

“So now [the NFL is] scapegoating me into figuring out the goal posts on what is offensive in America. Like, is my finger offensive or is an underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience?”

Instead of worry about the large fee she is being given, the has said that she has nothing to worry about because she has her attorneys already working on the case for her as well as asking fans to send in any examples of bad behavior by NFL personnel not in line with its “family-friendly image.”

“They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrists. And basically say it’s okay for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female than to display female empowerment through being punk rock,” she declared in the video. “That is what it boils down to, and I’m being sued for it.”

As of the moment, the NFL have no responded to her declaration, but you can see her rampage in the video below.