Stadium Owners Were Promised Macklemore Wouldn’t Repeat Antisemitic Rant. He Did.

Stadium owners scheduled to host Ed Sheeran’s “The Loop” tour were reportedly promised that rapper Macklemore would not repeat the antisemitic rant he delivered at the first MetLife show — he did so anyway.

According to a report published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft set the ball rolling after Macklemore used the stage to broadcast his political opinions about Israel and Gaza — and he reached out to Sheeran directly.

Kraft — who had Sheeran sing at his own 2022 wedding — nonetheless made it clear to his friend that if Macklemore planned to use his venue to accuse Israel of genocide, he would not be allowed to perform there at all. He said that, in his mind, what the rapper had said was “hate speech” rather than simply free expression — and he worried about previous incidents that had led people to accuse Macklemore of antisemitism.

“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real,” Kraft said in a statement. “Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.”

Kraft also let Sheeran know that he was not the only team owner willing to pull the plug on shows that included the antisemitic rapper if he didn’t keep his political opinions off the stage. The expectation was that the rapper would dial back the political statements to stay on the tour — promoters even promised he would — but he did not.

Facing the prospect of other NFL owners pulling out of the tour — Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie — Sheeran’s promoters opted to cut Macklemore. However, when they did, all his scheduled opening acts and even the band backing him withdrew from the tour in “solidarity.”

Sheeran, who has made a point of staying out of politics, plans to continue with his scheduled appearances thus far, taking the stage alone.

So the opening acts cancelled and his own band quit. Ed Sheeran says hold my beer. ???? pic.twitter.com/slbKPeUeea

— Gregory Jon (@gregoryjon) September 16, 2026

In a statement, he said Macklemore’s contract was with the promoters, not with him, and that while Sheeran said he had made every effort to find a solution that worked for everyone, the promoters’ decision was final.

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