Discover Puerto Rico Brings Authentic Island Culture to Football's Biggest Weekend Through Music, Food, and Live Storytelling

Music-Forward Activations, NYC Consumer Experience, and an Integrated Activation Showcase Puerto Rico's Cultural Influence at Scale

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- During football's biggest weekend, when global audiences peak at unprecedented levels, Discover Puerto Rico is positioning the Island at the center of the global conversation through music-forward activations that blend live storytelling, performances with shared moments around the big game. From an innovative live stream inspired by Plena, Puerto Rico's storytelling music tradition, and supported by digital and in-person fan experiences, the Island is leveraging one of the world's most-watched moments to showcase why Puerto Rico isn't just a destination, it's a cultural force shaping global moments.

Discover Puerto Rico's activation in partnership with Rums of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company is built around experiences designed for fans and audiences seeking authentic cultural connections. The activations blend live storytelling, Puerto Rican music traditions, food, and real-time moments that celebrate the Island's rich creative heritage and contemporary influence. Through a bilingual livestream partnership, digital platform takeovers, and a consumer pop-up in New York City, these moments form a connected, culture-led approach that meets audiences across screens, platforms, and city streets.

Together, these moments form a connected, culture-led approach that meets audiences where they are, across screens, platforms, and city streets, ensuring Puerto Rican music and storytelling remain part of the conversation at peak moments of engagement.

"The big game is one of the most powerful cultural moments of the year, and Puerto Rico is part of that story in a very real way," said Storm Tussey, Chief Marketing Officer at Discover Puerto Rico. "Our music, our rhythms, and our creativity are shaping global culture right now. These activations are designed to work together, each standing on its own while amplifying the others, so Puerto Rico isn't just present in the moment, it's unmistakably felt."

The Plena Game Report

February 8 | Bilingual Livestream with Complex

The centerpiece of Discover Puerto Rico's consumer-facing campaign, The Plena Game Report is a live, fully bilingual (English and Spanish) second screen watch party that brings the energy, humor, and cultural flavor of a true Puerto Rican celebration to football's biggest night. While fans watch the big game on their TVs, the Island provides its own real-time soundtrack, commentary, and charisma through a continuous 40-minute YouTube livestream unfolding before, during, and after the half time show.

"This moment means everything to me," said football player Isiah Pacheco. "My father is from Ponce, so representing Puerto Rico isn't just about football—it's personal. The big game is the perfect stage to show the world that Boricua culture is alive, it's real, and it's everywhere—in the music, the food, the energy. I'm proud to be part of a celebration that puts Puerto Rico front and center in a way that's real and authentic."

Produced in partnership with Complex, Rums of Puerto Rico, and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, the livestream is hosted by football player Isiah Pacheco, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, alongside actor Amaury Nolasco, football analyst Felipe Martinez and Grammy-nominated group, Plena Libre. Throughout the broadcast, Plena Libre delivers improvised, real-time Plena performances inspired by key moments on the field, continuing the genre's long tradition of using music to narrate live events and shared cultural moments. Performances are sung in Spanish with English subtitles, making the experience accessible to a broader audience.

Blending live music with game-day storytelling, the livestream also features interactive segments designed to elevate the at-home viewing experience, including:

• Live Plena Performances: Real-time musical reactions to pivotal plays and moments
• Game-Day Commentary: Cultural perspectives on the game and halftime performance
• Cocktail Segments: Mixology moments led by Stephen Alonso of Identidad Cocktail Bar, the James Beard Award–winning Best New Bar of 2025, featuring Rums of Puerto Rico
• Food Inspiration: Puerto Rican game-day snack ideas and traditions from chef Mia Castro
• Audience Engagement: Fan reactions and interactive moments throughout the streaming.

Streaming across Complex's owned platforms and social channels including YouTube and Instagram, The Plena Game Report transforms game day into an unmistakably Puerto Rican cultural experience. Fans can also tune in and set reminders by visiting discoverpuertorico.com/the-big-game.

NYC Consumer Activation

February 9 | Café Colmado, New York City

Building on the cultural momentum of game day, Discover Puerto Rico brings the experience offline with a consumer pop-up in New York City at Café Colmado. Timed for the Monday following the big game, widely known as one of the lowest-energy workdays of the year, the activation is designed as a culture-forward pick-me-up.

To help kick-start the morning, Discover Puerto Rico will offer free Puerto Rican coffee and mallorcas, a traditional breakfast favorite, to consumers, celebrating the Island's coffee culture and hospitality. Due to limited availability, guests are required to reserve a complimentary ticket in advance via Eventbrite, with each ticket redeemable for one coffee and one mallorca while supplies last.

Complimentary tickets can be reserved at: eventbrite.com/e/la-resaca-boricua-presented-by-discover-puerto-rico-tickets-1981347941028 

By turning a notoriously sluggish Monday into a moment of warmth, flavor, and connection, the activation brings Puerto Rico's culture directly to consumers in a way that feels timely, thoughtful, and authentic.

Additional Activations & Earned Media Amplification

Beyond its core consumer-facing moments, Discover Puerto Rico's campaign around football's biggest game is supported by a robust slate of high-impact activations and earned media initiatives designed to extend reach, credibility, and cultural relevance throughout game week.

Key amplification efforts include:

• Consumer Giveaway: To extend the celebration beyond the screen, Discover Puerto Rico is launching a sweepstakes inviting fans to take the celebration from the screen to the Island. The prize includes round-trip JetBlue airfare for two, a five-day/four-night stay at Hotel Rumbao in Old San Juan, and a hands-on mixology class at Casa Bacardi celebrating Puerto Rico's rum and cocktail culture.
• National Media Interviews: A series of television, radio, and digital interviews spotlighting the intersection of sports and music in Puerto Rican culture. Former football player Victor Cruz will be available at the Big Game Media Center in San Francisco to share his perspective on Puerto Rican sports and culture, while teasing Discover Puerto Rico's upcoming Plena Game Report livestream as a must-watch, second-screen experience.
• Thursday Night Kickoff Event (San Francisco): Discover Puerto Rico brings Boricua culture to one of game week's marquee, invite-only gatherings produced by Excel Sports, serving as the event's destination presence. Designed as a premium lounge experience for sports leaders and tastemakers, the kickoff features Puerto Rican music, food, and a rum-forward activation led by Rums of Puerto Rico, delivering an immersive celebration of the Island's flavor, rhythm, and cultural identity.
• Spotify Desktop Homepage Takeover: On Monday after the big game, Discover Puerto Rico in partnership with the Puerto Rico Tourism Company will activate a Spotify desktop homepage takeover for ad-supported users in Puerto Rico, ensuring prominent visibility as listeners return to music and streaming following the game. The placement reinforces Puerto Rico's music-forward presence and keeps the Island top of mind during one of the highest post-game engagement windows.
• iHeartRadio Takeover: Discover Puerto Rico will deliver a high-impact presence across iHeartRadio's ecosystem on the Monday following the big game, appearing as users log into the iHeartRadio app, iHeart.com, and select local station sites, extending Puerto Rico's cultural storytelling into one of the country's most widely used audio platforms during peak post-game listening.
• Post-Game TV Segment: A nationally broadcast segment spotlighting Puerto Rican coffee and Plena Libre's music as the ultimate Monday-morning reset following the big game.

Through this integrated approach, Discover Puerto Rico turns one of the world's most-watched sports moments into a shared cultural experience, positioning the Island as a creative force that resonates authentically across music, media, and live engagement.

For more information on Discover Puerto Rico's football-weekend activations, and to enter for a chance to win a trip to the Island, visit discoverpuertorico.com/the-big-game. 

About Discover Puerto Rico

Discover Puerto Rico is a private, not-for-profit Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) whose mission is to make Puerto Rico visible to the world as a premier travel destination. The DMO brings prosperity to the people of Puerto Rico by collaboratively promoting the Island's diversity and uniqueness for leisure and business travel, and events. It is responsible for all global marketing, sales, and promotion of the destination and works collaboratively with key local governmental and nongovernmental players throughout Puerto Rico's visitor economy and the community at large, to empower economic growth. To discover all the beauty the Island has to offer, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

SOURCE Discover Puerto Rico