The numbers don't lie: the Super Bowl is our most treasured television show.
Regardless of the location, the matchup, or the storylines… regardless of the protests or the presidents… regardless of the crimes and other off-field drama… this game is consistently the most-watched event of the year.
That's why it's so important that the NFL invites Janet Jackson to return.
opinion columnist
LZ Granderson
LZ Granderson writes about culture, politics, sports, and living life in America.
It's been 20 years since our culture decided that a half-second glimpse of one of Jackson's breasts (the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” during the halftime show with Justin Timberlake) threatened the foundation of society.
It sounds ridiculous now, given former first lady Melania Trump's modeling career, but when we were still pretending to be precious about sex, we wrung our hands over this scandal for weeks, only half-jokingly dubbing the saga “Nipplegate,” as though it was on par with the crimes and cover-up that forced Richard Nixon to resign. Talking heads condemned Jackson 24/7.
In short, we overreact.
It was an election year, and the United States was embroiled in two religious wars: one abroad in response to 9/11 and another at home, when President George W. Bush used the threat of same-sex marriage to fuel his war. culture and mobilize votes.
Everyone wanted to appear patriotic while the definition of patriotism became blurred. Islamophobia seemed to replace freedom of religion. Senator John F. Kerry, a decorated war hero, was mocked for his service in Vietnam. This was the time when the Dixie Chicks (as they were known then) spoke out against Bush starting a war in 2003, and because of it they were threatened and almost lost their races.
Less than a year later, it was Jackson's turn.
She moved on and we moved on, but no one ever made amends for the mistreatment she received. The Super Bowl would be the place to do it. We need to apologize for how we treated Jackson after Nipplegate because we were never as pious as we pretended to be in 2004.
When we discovered that Dallas Cowboys players were running a brothel during the 1990s, we didn't expel them. We still call them “America's team.”
After learning that college football star Lawrence Phillips dragged his ex-girlfriend down three flights of stairs before crashing her head into a mailbox in 1995, the National Football League named him sixth overall pick in 1996. The nation responded by converting the Super Bowl was once again the most watched program, as if nothing unpleasant had happened. Back then, corporations paid more than a million dollars for a 30-second commercial.
Today we are the country with elected officials who talk about secret sex parties in Washington and display sexting photos in the House of Representatives. We're the country where celebrities with sex tapes visit the White House and a prominent presidential candidate can be found responsible for sexual abuse without losing support.
What happened in 2004 was unpleasant. Not for Jackson but for us.
All the other performers at the Super Bowl halftime show end the night feeling on top of the world. Jackson finished his hidden and in tears. He woke up to threats, the involvement of the Federal Communications Commission, and the sudden need to save his career. Not because he crossed a line, of course, but because we overreacted.
Jackson has rebuilt his life from that low point. She doesn't need the Super Bowl concert. Her 2023 tour was the highest-grossing of her career and she will tour again this year. But she was robbed of the coronation that comes with the Super Bowl halftime show. There is a simple way to do it right.
For us, football is more than a game. Even those who don't care about the sport are affected by its culture and influence.
Taylor Swift couldn't have had her six-night mini-residency at SoFi Stadium last summer, a run that generated a estimated $320 million for Los Angeles County – but for the NFL. Rams owner Stan Kroenke bought the land in 2014. The league's exploration of the area dates back to the mid-1990s. No other industry swooped in to develop that land during those years.
This year's Super Bowl site exists only because the Raiders moved to Las Vegas and helped develop Allegiant Stadium, which not only developed the city's sports culture but also generated revenue from other events at the stadium that would not have been there. been possible a decade ago. back.
In my hometown of Detroit, Ford Field anchors a revitalized downtown. The two playoff games the Lions hosted this season brought $40 million to the city.
The reach of football keeps many communities together.
And in 2004 we took all that togetherness, all that cultural and economic inertia, and vilified one of the most successful recording artists of all time.
In 2001, Jackson's album “All for You” was his fifth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard chart. She won a Grammy in 2002. When the NFL approached her about the Super Bowl, Jackson held the record for most consecutive Top 10 hits. More than Madonna, the first female soloist at halftime; more than Beyoncé, who came second; more than Lady Gaga, who came after that.
What better way to atone for the nonsense of 2004 than to give Jackson flowers in 2025? It would be a way to not only ensure a fantastic show but also recognize Jackson's most important characteristic: resilience.
