Katy Perry to play Super Bowl halftime
Pop star Katy Perry will provide the halftime entertainment for Super Bowl XLIX, multiple media outlets reported Thursday.
Back in August, reports emerged that Perry, Coldplay and Rihanna were the finalists to play during the Feb. 1 game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
The Wall Street Journal reported in the summer that the NFL was asking performers to pay for the privilege of playing the Super Bowl, which annually draws the national’s largest television audience. Representatives for Perry, Coldplay and Rihanna all balked at the idea, according to the Journal.
Perry appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday and said, “I’m not the kind of girl that would pay to play the Super Bowl.”
This year’s Super Bowl attracted a U.S. record 111.5 million viewers, despite a one-sided game. The Seattle Seahawks routed the Denver Broncos 43-8. Bruno Mars performed at halftime, backed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, drawing a record 115.3 million viewers.
The NFL usually does not pays its halftime performers, though it covers their expenses.