The unknowns regarding the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show extend beyond the name of the act that will be performing.
Bridgestone, which has paid huge money to present the 12-minute concert since 2008, has shifted to a year-round partnership with the league.
Through it all, Bridgestone will remain the Official Tire of the NFL. (And that’s good, because if the NFL didn’t have an official tire, I wouldn’t know which tires to buy.) According to Ad Age, the relationship between Bridgestone and the NFL will continue at least through 2016.
The reason for the change isn’t known. Brian Steinberg of Ad Age hints at the possibility that the decision was related to the unplanned middle finger that M.I.A. flashed during her cameo appearance at halftime of Super Bowl XLVI.
The partnership made the most sense during Super Bowl XLIV, when Pete Townshend of The Who flashed his spare tire.