The night that brings Americans together in a celebration of both sports and pop culture is just around the corner. Like every year, long before the first whistle could blow, fans already began guessing who might take the halftime stage this time around. And since the Super Bowl stage is typically reserved for artists at the top of their game, Taylor Swift was naturally the name on everyone’s lips. Her love story entwined with the NFL only added more wood to the fire. But turned out, this time, the stars aligned for another chart-topper: Bad Bunny.

As Bad Bunny gets ready for Super Bowl, many questions are coming up- like how much is the gig worth to him?

Bad Bunny, who boasts a net worth of $50 million, usually pulls in $1.5 to $2 million per show. But his Super Bowl 2026 paycheck will stick to the union-rate minimum. It would be nowhere near the fat checks his name normally commands. However, the trade-off is huge exposure, and in the world of the Super Bowl, that often speaks louder than money. The NFL does not actually pay performers for the performance itself.

They only cover production costs and union wages for the crew and a handful of musicians. For instance, Usher got just $671 for his performance and around $1,800 for rehearsals. Rihanna, meanwhile, did not take a dime. Although Bad Bunny’s exact union rate has not been made public, he will be working under the same framework. However, just within a few hours of the announcement, reactions to Bunny’s halftime performance are all over the place.

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Two usually divided corners of the internet seem to have found common ground in criticizing Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl headliner.

It is quite evident that Donald Trump supporters and far-right activists are not thrilled about Bad Bunny taking the Super Bowl stage. Benny Johnson of the Daily Wire called him a “massive Trump hater” and an “anti-ICE activist,” pointing out that he has “no songs in English”. On the other side, Swifties, with a left-leaning majority of 55 percent per Morning Consult, are feeling a bit conflicted as well.

Taylor Swift’s fans immediately started imagining how her show might have looked compared to Bad Bunny’s upcoming set, after getting to know about the pop star's reasons for allegedly turning down the opportunity. Nevertheless, despite a bit of initial disappointment, the overall reaction has been positive and faeem to have warmed up to Bad Bunny, praising his energy and unique style.

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What do you think about Bad Bunny's paycheck for the Super Bowl and the internet's reaction to his gig? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!