UCO Alumna Takes the Field Behind the Scenes at Super Bowl LX

UCO Alumni Perla Tovar, who graduated in Fall 2024, was a part of the production team for the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Feb 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, featuring Bad Bunny as the headliner for the show. 

Tovar was a stagehand on the production team, where she assisted in assembling and moving stage pieces, props, and equipment to transform the football field into a recreation of Puerto Rico’s landscape and culture for the show.

She also worked with PixMob to operate LED field lighting, coordinating effects for every seat in the stadium to create a synchronized screen for the best of Bad  Bunny’s performance. 

As Tovar is a freelancer, and she applied to be a part of the show. 

“I’m constantly applying for jobs I may never hear back from. I try to remind myself that every time I don’t put myself out there, I’m missing chances or letting opportunities slip right by,” she said. 

As soon as Tovar heard back about this opportunity, it was time for her to pack up and fly out to California for training. 

“I felt excited and honored — but more than anything, determined. With less than a month to prepare, I knew I had to move quickly and commit to doing whatever it took to make the opportunity happen. Once my work schedule, flights, and lodging came together, it confirmed that I was exactly where I was meant to be and ready to contribute to the show,” she said. 

The production for the Super Bowl involves hundreds of volunteers for rapid assembling and disassembling to maintain time. As the musical set is expected to last 13 to 14 minutes, the production team has a total of 7 to 8 minutes to set up and tear down, just over 6 minutes. 

Tovar mentioned the crew rehearsed 9 times before the show. Tovar shared her experience throughout the process of production during the show and made unforgettable memories. 

“It was surreal. I’m still pinching myself, and every rehearsal was filled with so much passion and purpose. We cried, worked hard, and danced nonstop together! Every dancer, crew member, and performer was genuinely excited to be there, coming together to create a cultural movement as a Team,” she said. 

The Super Bowl LX Halftime Show was meaningful to Tovar, and she shared her thoughts on why. 

“I knew the Super Bowl was going to be more than just a game this year. Despite all the controversy leading up to it, we transformed it into a powerful moment of representation, pride, and unity on one of the biggest stages in the world. It was a historic celebration for my Latino community — the first halftime show performed entirely in Spanish and one of the most-watched in history.”

She continued, “Being able to represent my community as a first-generation Mexican American while doing what I love was truly a dream come true! And I hope everyone watching realizes we are better together.”

From her time at UCO, she was able to be prepared for moments like this through the Mass Communications Department. 

“In the Mass Communication Department, we worked with professionals on real-world collaborations constantly, which gave me the confidence, skills, and mindset to dive into production at a higher level immediately after graduation.”

“My professors challenged me to grow both creatively and professionally, encouraging me to take risks for moments like this. I’ve felt their support from afar in every gig and project I’ve worked on — they truly want the best for every student,” she said. 

Tovar also gave advice for UCO students who have aspirations as creative freelancers.

“My advice to UCO students is to keep believing in yourself and to constantly strive for more. Don’t be afraid to pursue opportunities that seem larger than life, but also take the time to embrace smaller passion projects — they build your skills and open doors for the future,” she said.