Maroon 5 and the NFL Announce $500,000 Charity Donation Ahead of Super Bowl Halftime Show
Maroon 5 is putting their music where their heart is, and following fellow Super Bowl act Travis Scott’s lead.
The band, joined by the NFL and Interscope Records, has decided to make a $500,000 contribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America ahead of their Super Bowl headlining performance on Feb. 3, PEOPLE can exclusively announce.
“Playing the Super Bowl has been a dream of our band for a long time,” frontman Adam Levine tells PEOPLE in a statement. “We thank the NFL for the opportunity and also to them, along with Interscope Records, for making this donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters, which will have a major impact for children across the country.”
As part of the NFL’s #InspireChange social justice initiative, their commitment will help to create positive social changes for youth in communities across the country.
Maroon 5’s decision to donate comes two weeks after Scott revealed that he had agreed to sign on for the high-profile event on the condition that the NFL would join him in a joint donation to a charitable cause. In partnership with the league, the “Sicko Mode” rapper will make a $500,000 contribution to Dream Corps, a non-profit organization that champions social justice.
“I back anyone who takes a stand for what they believe in,” Scott previously said in a statement to PEOPLE. “I know being an artist that it’s in my power to inspire. So before confirming the Super Bowl Halftime performance, I made sure to partner with the NFL on this important donation. I am proud to support Dream Corps and the work they do that will hopefully inspire and promote change.”
This year, the halftime show has ignited a cultural firestorm as many fans asked would-be performers to back out of the event to support Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the #TakeAKnee movement to protest racial injustices.
RELATED: Travis Scott Agreed to Perform at the Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show on One Condition
Rapper Big Boi will also join Maroon 5 — which, along with Levine, consists of band members PJ Morton, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, Matt Flynn and Sam Farrar — and Scott for the halftime performance.
This will be the first Super Bowl performance for all three acts. Last year’s show featured Justin Timberlake (for the second time) and 2017 was Lady Gaga. Other big names that have taken the stage in recent years include, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz.
Maroon 5’s 2019 Super Bowl LIII Pepsi Halftime Show airs Feb. 3 on CBS, and the 61st Grammy Awards will take place at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 10. The telecast will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. EST.
