New Report Exposes The 3 NFL Owners Who Folded Under Robert Kraft’s Pressure & Banned Macklemore From Performing With Ed Sheeran At Their Stadium
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Robert Kraft’s decision to push Macklemore off Ed Sheeran’s tour has become one of the messier controversies linking sports and music this year. The rapper’s removal followed his “Free Palestine” comments during a September 4th show at MetLife Stadium.
Macklemore laid out his own account in a lengthy Instagram post last week, claiming Kraft called Sheeran directly and barred him from Gillette Stadium. He also alleged Kraft rallied additional stadium owners into a joint ultimatum against the tour.
New reporting has now put names to that alleged coalition.
Three Owners Reportedly Joined Kraft’s Push
The Wall Street Journal reported that Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie backed Kraft’s stance. None of the three owners had responded publicly to the report at the time of writing.
The timing is pretty significant given Sheeran’s tour schedule. His next stop is at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this Saturday, the first show since Macklemore’s removal took effect.
Kraft addressed his own reasoning directly in a statement provided to press outlets, citing Macklemore’s comments in New Jersey along with what he called “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”
He also reportedly held a 40-minute phone call with Sheeran, a longtime friend who performed at Kraft’s 2022 wedding.
The Dispute Has Since Extended Into Dueling Donations
Macklemore responded to the backlash by pledging $1 million in tour earnings to organizations supporting Palestinian relief efforts. He publicly challenged Kraft to match that donation as the controversy escalated.
Kraft answered days later, announcing his own $2 million pledge toward humanitarian aid in the region. According to Kraft’s statement, Sheeran had specifically requested that commitment during their earlier phone call.
Sheeran’s remaining opening acts have continued exiting the tour in the aftermath. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Sheeran’s own backing band, Beoga, have all withdrawn in solidarity with Macklemore since his removal.
Whether the named owners respond to their role in the story remains unclear. With Saturday’s Philadelphia show approaching fast, the tour will proceed for the first time without any opening act at all.
