The group established by the late Charlie Kirk organized a competing performance to air during the Super Bowl halftime show.

Turning Point USA’s planned alternative event hit an obstacle before kickoff.

The conservative nonprofit announced it would stream its own “All-American Halftime Show” as an option for viewers who didn’t want to watch Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny perform during the official NFL break.

But just minutes before the New England Patriots faced off against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday (February 8), the rival broadcast encountered an unexpected issue.

For anyone wondering why a counter-programming event was created in the first place, the answer lies in the backlash that followed the NFL’s decision to feature Bad Bunny in the coveted halftime slot. The announcement drew criticism from some Republican commentators.

Although halftime performers aren’t paid for the show itself, the exposure can be enormously valuable.

Bad Bunny — whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — has previously spoken out against the U.S. president. He even released a track titled “Nuevayol,” which included an imitation of Trump’s voice.

In the song, the parody voice says: “I want to apologise to the immigrants in America… This country is nothing without the immigrants.

“This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans.”

It’s fair to presume that Trump probably won’t have tuned into Bad Bunny’s performance, if his earlier comment about the artists taking to the stage at the Super Bowl this year is anything to go by.

Last month, Trump said to the New York Post: “I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”

Explaining why he isn’t attending this year, the POTUS added: “It’s just too far away. I would. I’ve [gotten] great hands [at] the Super Bowl. They like me. I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter.”

Turning Point USA seems to be hoping to attract viewers’ attention away from the official show at halftime with performances from artists such as Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett at its ‘All-American’ gig.

The organisation had intended to stream its show – which celebrates ‘faith, family, and freedom’ – on its social media channels, such as on X and on YouTube.

Yet, the organisation shared an ‘update’ on this at the eleventh hour, explaining viewers will no longer be able to tune in via Elon Musk’s X.

In a post on X, it explained: “Due to licensing restrictions, we are unable to stream The All-American Halftime Show on X.

“Head on over to our YouTube channel tonight around 8PM ET to watch the full show.”

People expressed their frustration in the wake of the announcement, with many claiming it was difficult to find out how to access a stream as it is.

“This is harder than hell to find, tbh,” one social media user said. “There are numerous references to it, but none lead to an actual link or broadcast.”

Other people were more interested in what the licensing issue was, as another said: “Why not explain what the licensing issue is?”

And someone else added: “All that hype for weeks and you announce this at the start of the game?”

Turning Point USA’s spokesman Andrew Kolvet previously promised that viewers would enjoy a ‘fun, excellent and exciting’ show which caters to ‘the entire family’.

“These performers will deliver exactly that, and we can’t wait to watch the incredible show they’re about to put on,” he said. “We know millions around the country will be watching too.”

The gig has been described as an ‘opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family and freedom’.