The 40-Minute Phone Call That Left Ed Sheeran's Tour Hanging by a Thread

… </p><p>https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/the-40-minute-phone-call-that-left-ed-sheerans-tour-hanging-by-a-thread-99e07984</p></div></div><div class="article-container css-oeufpf e1opctqs3"><div class="article-header css-cnekfb e1opctqs5"><div class="css-j6808u e11lw8gk12"><div display="flex" class="eyrkrci0 css-1jwh7md-StyledBox e1vnmyci0"><nav class="breadcrumb css-q8t0wg-NavWrapper ed3psuc7" aria-label="Arts &amp; Culture breadcrumb"><ol class="css-fhdvge-List ed3psuc3"><li class="css-1uhzxw8-ListItem ed3psuc2"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture?mod=breadcrumb" data-testid="breadcrumb-link" class="ed3psuc6 css-1hdhmjb-BreadcrumbLink"><span class="css-pqzzby"><span class="css-1xzc2un"><span class="css-fb9r2w">Arts &amp; Culture</span></span></span></a><div class="ed3psuc4 css-19f58zn-StyledIconBlock"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" width="16" height="16" viewbox="0 0 16 16" overrides="[object Object]" class="css-1ww3cjk"><defs><circle id="dot-small_svg__a" cx="2" cy="2" r="2"></circle></defs><use fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" transform="rotate(90 2 8)" xlink:href="#dot-small_svg__a"></use></svg></div></li><li class="css-1uhzxw8-ListItem ed3psuc2"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music?mod=breadcrumb" data-testid="breadcrumb-link" class="ed3psuc6 css-1hdhmjb-BreadcrumbLink"><span class="css-pqzzby"><span class="css-1xzc2un"><span class="css-fb9r2w">Music</span></span></span></a></li></ol></nav></div><div class="crawler css-1mmb8lj-StyledBox e1vnmyci0"><div class="css-l74hns-StyledBox e1vnmyci0"><h1 class="css-1q0k1yi-StyledHeadline-Styled-Styled-Styled emwm06f0">The 40-Minute Phone Call That Left Ed Sheeran’s Tour Hanging by a Thread</h1></div><h2 class="css-eq0jiq-NormalDek-NormalDek-Styled-Styled-Styled emwm06f0">Patriots owner Robert Kraft made it clear to the singer that he would cancel his tour dates at Gillette Stadium unless Macklemore was dropped from the bill. Other NFL owners were ready to do the same.</h2></div></div></div><article class="css-155101i e1opctqs4"><div id="cx-articlecover"></div><div class="crawler css-j6808u e11lw8gk12"><div class="e108qypx1 css-1rqaeba"><div class="eh42cdm8 css-4nm965-AuthoringContainer"><div class="css-1th2wme"><div class="eh42cdm7 css-5h3nb1-AuthoringContent"><div class="css-159gcdb"><div class="css-11k10ko"><div data-testid="byline" class="epvx9354 css-nb8fez-BylineContainer"> <p class="epvx9352 css-1fmy8f5-AuthorPlaintext">By </p><a data-testid="author-link" href="https://www.wsj.com/news/author/andrew-beaton" target="_self" aria-label="Author page for Andrew Beaton" class="epvx9353 css-1y23mou-AuthorLink"><span class="css-17x5lw"><span class="css-1wc2zh5">Andrew Beaton</span></span></a><p class="epvx9352 css-1fmy8f5-AuthorPlaintext">, </p><a data-testid="author-link" href="https://www.wsj.com/news/author/katherine-sayre" target="_self" aria-label="Author page for Katherine Sayre" class="epvx9353 css-1y23mou-AuthorLink"><span class="css-17x5lw"><span class="css-1wc2zh5">Katherine Sayre</span></span></a><p class="epvx9352 css-1fmy8f5-AuthorPlaintext"> and </p><a data-testid="author-link" href="https://www.wsj.com/news/author/elias-leight" target="_self" aria-label="Author page for Elias Leight" class="epvx9353 css-1y23mou-AuthorLink"><span class="css-17x5lw"><span class="css-1wc2zh5">Elias Leight</span></span></a></div></div></div><div class="css-11paagg"><div class="css-125u1fj"><div class="css-1o99qvy"><div class="css-nr8oy5"><p data-testid="timestamp-text" class="es486sg1 css-1r8enoi-TimeTag"><time datetime="2026-09-16T23:22:00.000Z">Sept. 16, 2026 7:22 pm</time><span> ET</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="css-e1v6d5"><div class="css-13byt3y"><div aria-label="Utility Bar" role="toolbar" class="article-body-tools e716lcb0 css-to2tbw-MainStack" data-block="doNotPrint" data-testid="utility-bar"><div class="css-13byt3y"><div 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540px, 700px" srcset="https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=540&amp;size=1.501 540w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=620&amp;size=1.501 620w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=639&amp;size=1.501 639w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=700&amp;size=1.501 700w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=700&amp;size=1.501&amp;pixel_ratio=1.5 1050w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=700&amp;size=1.501&amp;pixel_ratio=2 1400w, https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=700&amp;size=1.501&amp;pixel_ratio=3 2100w" width="700" height="466" src="https://images.wsj.net/im-09660070?width=700&amp;height=466" class="css-1hzqsjo"></picture></figure><figcaption class="eihhvrm0 css-1n6fay2-FigcaptionItem e11lw8gk21"><span class="e1m33gv80 css-426zcb-CaptionSpan e1m33gv81"></span> <span class="css-7jz429-Credit eq0esvu0">Amanda Chen/<wbr>WSJ, Getty Images (3)</wbr></span></figcaption></div><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft isn’t usually in the business of vetting supporting acts for <a data-type="subject" href="https://www.wsj.com/topics/subject/concerts" target="_blank" class="ekxajjj0 css-i0lbhy-OverridedLink">concerts</a> at his NFL team’s home stadium. But last week, when he caught wind that one of the artists booked to play Ed Sheeran’s concert at Gillette Stadium was, in his view, using the tour to accuse <a data-type="place" href="https://www.wsj.com/topics/place/israel" target="_blank" class="ekxajjj0 css-i0lbhy-OverridedLink">Israel</a> of committing genocide, Kraft decided he wouldn’t remain on the sidelines. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">Kraft, the 85-year-old billionaire, had a longstanding relationship with Sheeran—the English musician had even played at his wedding in 2022. Over the course of a 40-minute conversation, Kraft explained that he wouldn’t host Macklemore, the outspoken American rapper, at his stadium. </p><div class="paywall css-1u1nl00-PaywalledContentContainer e1qcjy9n0"><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">More than that, several other National Football League owners were also ready to cancel Sheeran’s dates as long as Macklemore remained on the bill. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">By then, the tightknit circle of NFL owners whose hulking mega-venues host everything from sold-out concerts to World Cup games had drawn a line in the sand. David Tepper and Arthur Blank—the respective owners of the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons—had made up their minds, people familiar with the matter said. Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie would soon reach the same conclusion, as the owners traded phone calls and prepared to address the situation. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">Kraft told Sheeran that while he felt for the Palestinian people and understood it was a complicated situation, he believed that Macklemore’s comments constituted hate speech—not freedom of speech, according to a person familiar with the call. The real problem in the conflict, he told Sheeran, was Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. He noted that Macklemore had previously been accused of antisemitism in 2014 for wearing a costume that featured Jewish stereotypes such as a beard and oversize hook nose. Macklemore apologized at the time and said he didn’t intend to impersonate a Jewish person. A spokeswoman for Macklemore declined to comment.</p><div data-type="video" data-inset_type="" data-sub_type="" class="media-layout css-c4tfi7-Layout-baseCss ertdlv30" data-layout="wrap"><figure class="css-wgssxl-Figure e1bulelc3"><div id="video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" format="vertical" data-up-next="false" class="css-ealaep video-player null" aria-label="Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After ‘Free Palestine’ Speech" tabindex="-1"><div id="wrapper-video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" data-testid="video-player" data-player-type="web" class="video-wrapper player-tiny vertical"><div class="video-inner"><div id="candybar-video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" data-testid="video-subscribe-screen" class="styles__subscribeScreenWrapper_nGRkz219PAyjz2MTQB1A" style="display: none;"></div><div style="display: block;"><video src="" id="videoplayer-video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" preload="none" crossorigin="anonymous" style="top: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; 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opacity: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; color-scheme: light;"></iframe><iframe title="Advertisement" style="visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px;"></iframe></div><div class="styles__topBackground_p6vEi5z8NSK59rb73YYw"></div></div></div><div class="base__vidThumb_S5W5o83k1sDkhxIr3IVW"><div class="vertical__videoThumbContent_lNcE7Fjllu9tdP9z_ygh base__videoThumbContent_VwHzksRYRSsKJQ32BZ5l"><button aria-label="Play video" data-testid="video-thumbnail-play-button" class="vertical__videoHint_BvqgJkSVArQx8CDOPGOQ"><svg version="1.1" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px" width="100%" height="100%" viewbox="0 0 52 52" enable-background="new 0 0 52 52" xml:space="preserve"><g id="XMLID_2_" opacity="1"><path fill="#FFFFFF" d="M26,51.5C11.9,51.5,0.5,40.1,0.5,26C0.5,11.9,11.9,0.5,26,0.5c14.1,0,25.5,11.4,25.5,25.5C51.5,40.1,40.1,51.5,26,51.5z"></path><path fill="#FFFFFF" d="M26,1c13.8,0,25,11.2,25,25S39.8,51,26,51S1,39.8,1,26S12.2,1,26,1 M26,0C11.7,0,0,11.7,0,26s11.7,26,26,26 s26-11.7,26-26S40.3,0,26,0L26,0z"></path></g><polygon id="XMLID_1_" fill="#333333" points="19.6,37.5 19.6,14.5 37.8,25.5 "></polygon></svg></button><img id="video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9-video-thumbnail" src="https://images.wsj.net/im-18977468?width=350&amp;size=0.5625" srcset="https://images.wsj.net/im-18977468?width=350&amp;size=0.5625&amp;pixel_ratio=1.5 1.5x, https://images.wsj.net/im-18977468?width=350&amp;size=0.5625&amp;pixel_ratio=2 2x, https://images.wsj.net/im-18977468?width=350&amp;size=0.5625&amp;pixel_ratio=3 3x" alt="Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After ‘Free Palestine’ Speech" fetchpriority="high" data-width="350" data-height="533" class="video-thumbnail base__videoThumbImg_ODCGjqJx7ZoFTkm8MZTM"><div class="base__videoThumbTextGroup_pl0NZZYowVVn5rpa9bOn"><div class="vertical__videoThumbText_HWzao8IP6nzOE3gtPcnk base__videoThumbText_d54Ukd7ZME9SqayFLGkR"><span id="video-thumb-text-video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" class="vertical__videoTitle_e7ccveEhKtJf5PACM5S1 base__videoTitle_yaceSdoYJDdyTIIjhcGL">Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After ‘Free Palestine’ Speech</span><span id="video-thumb-text-hidden-video0EA3079A-BEA6-499B-B331-5F82EC3F61B9" class="base__visuallyHidden_fDtgKw1gk7tlptaeN4kp">Play video: Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After ‘Free Palestine’ Speech</span></div><div class="vertical__verticalPlayButton_S3rYoetUc7fThBZmNWD0"><div class="vertical__verticalPlayButtonIcon_b0r31iIWqmXycTmqP5g1"><svg width="24" height="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M12 5V1L7 6L12 11V7C15.31 7 18 9.69 18 13C18 16.31 15.31 19 12 19C8.69 19 6 16.31 6 13H4C4 17.42 7.58 21 12 21C16.42 21 20 17.42 20 13C20 8.58 16.42 5 12 5Z" fill="#0A0A0A"></path></svg></div><span>0:23</span></div></div><div class="styles__preview_IrYO4R5OYopm4gKKS7UQ"><video loop="" crossorigin="anonymous" preload="none" playsinline="" class="video-thumb-preview" src="blob:https://www.wsj.com/6eed4766-bda5-478f-a05b-ac42b2a1fb6d"><track kind="captions" src="https://m.wsj.net/video/20260915/0ea3079a-bea6-499b-b331-5f82ec3f61b9/1/vv.macklemore.vid.en_US.vtt" srclang="en-US" label="English" default=""></track></video><div class="styles__hoverText_AldR0F5uyS8kc_E2aMUW">Keep hovering to play</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><figcaption class="e1534piu0 css-12tagmy-FigcaptionDefault-CaptionContainer e1534piu1">American rapper Macklemore made comments about Gaza while opening for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore later said he’d been removed from the tour after several stadium owners protested. <span> Photo: Arnaud Finistre/AFP</span></figcaption></figure></div><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">Faced with the prospect of getting barred from some of his biggest stops, Sheeran’s promoter dropped Macklemore—and suddenly the tour was thrown into chaos. Other supporting acts, including Sheeran’s backing band, later withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">The episode has thrust Sheeran—one of the biggest touring acts in the music industry, with a catalog of warm-and-fuzzy pop hits—into the center of a free-speech debate around an issue dividing America. Since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, Israel’s response has become a political hot button everywhere from the campaign trail to Hollywood awards shows and pop concerts. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">Sheeran has for years filled huge venues around the world with a relatively simple show, often playing solo on his acoustic guitar. His concerts have grossed about $1.9 billion on nearly 21 million tickets sold from 2008 through June of this year, the most recent data available, according to data firm Pollstar.</p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">How Sheeran, a musician known for his crowd-pleasing, inoffensive everyman appeal, landed in this situation illustrates the hazards of planning a lucrative, global music tour at a time of intense geopolitical unrest and cultural division over violent conflicts.</p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">“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.” </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">Macklemore has regularly espoused his beliefs onstage, and in 2024 he released “Hind’s Hall,” a song that accuses Israel of genocide and expresses support for pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses. But Sheeran, a far more popular act, has historically stayed out of politics.</p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">In a statement on Instagram this week, Sheeran said his music has brought together “people from all backgrounds and cultures.” He added that fans who buy tickets to his shows “do not expect a political forum.”</p><div data-type="inset" data-inset_type="dynamic" data-sub_type="charts" class="media-layout css-13plya0-Layout-baseCss ertdlv30" data-layout="inline"><div class="css-1wy0j8t-Wrapper exq6cte1"><div data-block="SizesPerWidth" class="css-y8busw-SizesPerWidthContainer exq6cte0"><div class="css-aowszu-Wrapper-imageFacadeStyles-chartsFacade emhpsms0"></div></div></div></div><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">The fracas began when Macklemore joined as an opening act for a pair of concerts in early September at MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and Giants. Macklemore’s onstage comments during the first of those shows, which included saying “Free Palestine” and performing “Hind’s Hall,” caused immediate alarm. Representatives of several NFL owners reached out to the promoters to say that they had booked Sheeran for an evening of entertaining fun, not to host a political rally with what they felt involved hate speech, one of the people said. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">They heard back that Macklemore would leave out any mention of the issue from his act, the person said. On stage the very next night, however, he once again brought up the conflict. </p><p data-type="paragraph" data="[object Object]" class="css-1qg6i2u e108qypx0">“One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages and stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” Macklemore said that evening. “I want to say this to all of my Jewish brothers and sisters. Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.”</p><div class="ad-portal"><div class="uds-ad-container e1pa4qj41 css-o4xyns-Container e1opctqs10" data-testid="ad-container"><div class="uds-ad-stack css-efqjdh"><p class="body-ad-label css-1hsjl1g" data-testid="ad-container-label">Advertisement</p><div data-testid="ad-block" class="e1pa4qj40 css-16bhsh0-Content"><div id="wrapper-wsj-body-AD_INLINEARTICLE" class="adWrapper " style="min-width: 300px; min-height: 250px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center;"><div> …