‘I beg you, no’: Football fans aghast at plans for possible ‘Super Bowl-style half-time shows’

Football fans have reacted to claims that the sport's lawmakers are set to discuss the increase of half-time breaks to 25 minutes so that Super Bowl-style entertainment shows could be implemented.

The idea is said to be the brainchild of South American governing body CONMEBOL, which is of the impression that the programming would benefit its equivalent to the Champions League which has its final on Saturday – the Copa Libertadores. 

If such law changes were brought in, the English FA could supposedly follow suit with shows at half-time when the FA Cup final is held at Wembley, for instance.

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At present, half-time breaks for football (or 'soccer', as it is commonly known in the US) last 15 minutes.

In American football, though, NFL regular season half-time takes 12 minutes in a game that is typically three hours long and this is bumped up to 30 minutes for the Super Bowl, where past acts holding a mini-concert include the likes of Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, and the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

For the next showpiece event that will decide the NFL's 2021 champion, hometown rapper Dr. Dre will perform alongside Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar at Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium on February 13.

Yet reception to the possible changes to football has been frosty. 

"I beg you please stop fooling around with the ‘beautiful’ game," demanded one popular football account.

"I can’t think of a single football fan I know who wants 'Super Bowl-style entertainment' at half-time," said another well-followed Twitter account.

"You get a pie, you moan about your defending at set-pieces, the game carries on.

"Leave it alone," it was demanded.

"'Super Bowl style' is such an overpromise," started a reply.

"How many 'Super Bowl style' levels of entertainment are going to happen further down the pyramid?

"It’s just for more advertising, pure and simple. Snake oil salesmen trying to pretend it’s for the benefit of the fans."

"I can't think of anything more horrendous," piped up a separate party.

"It's really important for football's lawmakers to cater to the oft-forgotten demographic of people who love football and would love to go to or watch a game on TV but don't feel they can because Rita Ora can't yet do a half time set," joked someone else.

But not everyone saw the downside while predicting it would be funny to see the likes of Beyonce performing, and that 25 minutes would be better for a toilet break.

According to one source, however, the plans won't even get off the ground.

"Not going to happen," said The Times' Martyn Ziegler abruptly on Twitter.

"IFAB basically killed it at a meeting last month," he revealed.