Much like the Super Bowl, the National Football League’s three Thanksgiving games will feature big-time musical acts at halftime, including country legend Dolly Parton.
The first game involves the Detroit Lions, who have played on Thanksgiving Day since 1934, playing host to the Green Bay Packers at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on Fox.
The Dallas Cowboys, regulars on nearly every Thanksgiving since 1966, will entertain the Washington Commanders at 4:30 p.m. on CBS.
Then at 8:20 p.m. on NBC, the Seattle Seahawks will play their first Thanksgiving home game against the San Francisco 49ers.
All three games feature marquee musical acts for their halftime shows, which draw the largest number of U.S. viewers to live music outside of each year’s Super Bowl, the NFL said. Over 138 million Americans tuned into the three games held in 2022, a 34% year-over-year increase from 2021. The league’s goal in selecting the three performers was to maximize appeal across age ranges and musical tastes.
“We’re looking to feature artists who can appeal to all ages, are culturally relevant, are great performers and ultimately can help us create amazing memories for the fans in attendance and at home,” NFL head of music Seth Dudowsky told Billboard.
At the halfway mark of the Lions’ game, rapper Jack Harlow will have the mic onstage for a show sponsored by Verizon. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he was named Variety’s Hitmaker of the Year in 2021.
Ms. Parton, meanwhile, will headline the halftime show of the Cowboys’ game as part of the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff. The 11-time Grammy Award winner’s show marks the beginning of the organization’s annual holiday fundraiser for Americans in need.
DJ and dance music artist Steve Aoki is running the show at halftime for the Seahawks’ game. His performance will highlight new light fixtures in Seattle’s Lumen Field as part of a choreographed display, the NFL said.
In addition to the three Thanksgiving contests, the NFL is playing on Black Friday for the first time, with the New York Jets meeting the visiting Miami Dolphins. The game, streaming on Amazon Prime at 3 p.m., will have a halftime interview with country star Garth Brooks promoting a concert at his Nashville bar Friends in Low Places. The concert will stream on Amazon Prime and Twitch at 7 p.m. Friday, according to Billboard.
