{"id":226612,"date":"2025-10-20T10:08:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/226612\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T10:08:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:08:10","slug":"winnipeg-has-mixed-reaction-to-grey-cup-halftime-act-but-some-see-value-in-mgk-performing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/226612\/","title":{"rendered":"Winnipeg has mixed reaction to Grey Cup halftime act, but some see value in mgk performing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football fans in Winnipeg have mixed feelings about the headlining act at this year\u2019s Grey Cup, which will be played in the Manitoba capital in less than a month. <\/p>\n

American musician mgk, will perform at halftime of the 112th Grey Cup, which is set for Nov. 16 at Winnipeg\u2019s Princess Auto Stadium. Some football fans in the city said they would have rather seen a Canadian musician get the headlining spot, while others said even if it\u2019s not their vibe, it may help the league expand its audience and reach different demographics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the Canadian Football League, there\u2019s distinctive rules to the play, it represents a Canadian vibe,\u201d said Brian Cooper, who is a CFL fan from B.C., but was in town for the Blue Bombers game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 17.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a Canadian artist would have been a win,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The league made the halftime show announcement last week and also said Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace will play during the kickoff show, while Catie St. Germain, who is from Manitoba, will sing Canada\u2019s national anthem.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The halftime performer, who used to be known as Machine Gun Kelly, has released seven studio albums. His 2020 album called, Tickets to my Downfall, is certified double platinum in the United States.<\/p>\n

Mgk\u2019s 2022 album Mainstream Sellout was also nominated for the 2023 Grammy award for Best Rock Album, a release from the CFL said. His most recent album, called Lost Americana, was released this past August.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New fans<\/p>\n

Cooper said while mgk\u2019s music may not appeal to him, his performance might serve as a way for the league to bring in new fans. <\/p>\n

He also said people may have wanted to see a Canadian artist in the big game at a time when Canada\u2019s relationship with the U.S. is tense.<\/p>\n

Some frustration about a U.S.-born artist performing in the Grey Cup halftime show may also potentially stem from the CFL\u2019s recent announcement about forthcoming rule changes, which some fans have called an \u201cAmericanization\u201d of the game<\/a>, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe on the heels of that people aren\u2019t happy, and I understand why,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Other football fans in Winnipeg said they were initially surprised or disappointed by the announcement that mgk would be performing at the Grey Cup halftime show, but were happy about the inclusion of Our Lady Peace for the kickoff show.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really thinking they were going to have a Canadian band or singer, I thought that\u2019s what they were going to go with,\u201d said Blue Bombers season ticket holder Jason King.<\/p>\n

CFL ‘very serious’ about growing its brand <\/p>\n

Bringing in performers like mgk \u2014 and even acts like the Jonas Brothers and Green Day for recent Grey Cup<\/a> halftime performances \u2014 shows the league is taking a \u201cvery serious\u201d approach to growing its brand and realizing \u201cwhat the different avenues are to do that,\u201d said Justin Dunk, a reporter and insider for 3DownNation, which specializes in coverage of the CFL.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While mgk might not be a known name to some of the CFL fans who \u201cskew to the older age,\u201d he is \u201cdefinitely a known name among the younger crowd that the CFL arguably has lost,\u201d said Dunk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hardcore CFL fans are going to watch the Grey Cup because of the football, almost regardless,\u201d said Dunk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis and last year\u2019s halftime act with the Jonas Brothers, are designed to bring in a new, different audience that might just tune in for the halftime show, potentially stick around for the third quarter and might go \u2018hey this football\u2019s actually entertaining\u2019 and potentially turn into new CFL fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CFL said when the Jonas Brothers headlined the Grey Cup halftime show in 2024, their performance drew an average audience of 4.25 million viewers.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Dunk also said big name acts can have an impact beyond television ratings.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt draws in outside media that perhaps wouldn\u2019t cover the Canadian Football League, or might not even cover the Grey Cup, as big as the game is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AllThe Jonas Brothers perform during the halftime show at the 2024 Grey Cup at BC Place on Nov. 17, 2024. (Rich Lam\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

He also said he empathizes with fans who wanted to see a Canadian act headline the big game, but said there will be one \u201cwhen it\u2019s appropriate.\u201d He said fans have already pointed to Tate McRae being a \u201cnatural fit\u201d for the\u00a0 Grey Cup in 2026, which will be hosted in her hometown of Calgary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut she\u2019s a bigtime international act that\u2019s going to take a lot of dollars and effort to get her there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Grey Cup game itself has already been announced as having more than 90 per cent of its tickets sold<\/a>, but some fans say there’s value in bringing in mgk for the big game.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people are going to enjoy it, a lot of people are going to have fun,\u201d said\u00a0Alyce Hnatiuk.<\/p>\n

\"twoAlyce Hnatiuk, left, and her daughter, Stephanie O’Brien, right are lifelong CFL fans. (Gavin Axelrod\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Her daughter Stephanie O’Brien said it\u2019s \u201chuge\u201d for the league to try and reach fans it may not always resonate with.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBring in a different demographic of people,\u201d she said. \u201cI think mgk is kind of geared to maybe the younger crowd. Get more people \u2026 to watch the CFL, I think it\u2019s awesome.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n