Florida Republican Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, alongside several elected officials and Jewish community members, urged the Tampa Sports Authority to cancel Ye's (formerly Kanye West) upcoming concerts on June 26 and 28, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium, citing concerns over the controversial artist’s history of antisemitic remarks and actions.
Sen. Scott's Letter to the Sports Authority
“No taxpayer dollars should be used to give a vocal antisemite a stage in Florida,” Sen. Scott wrote in his letter to the Tampa Sports Authority’s board of directors.
The Republican senator argued that Ye’s previous remarks praising Nazis, his own declaration of being a Nazi, and his slanderous comments against the Jewish community across the world are an “affront to the values of the people of the Hillsborough community.”
Sen. Scott Says the Authority is 'Not Let Off The Hook'
“Some of the worst sins in human history begin with the words, ‘I was just…,’ ‘I was just going to a concert with my friends,’ ‘I was just trying to make money,’ ‘I was just following orders.’ No, you can’t do that. You’re not let off the hook… None of [you] should be let off the hook for hatred and [antisemitism],” Sen. Scott said in a press conference at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Sen. Moody Condemns Sports Authority' Response Arguing 'Free Speech Rights'
“Last year, [Ye] West says ‘I love [Adolf] Hitler, I am a Nazi.’ Last year, he promoted an album, which featured songs like, reportedly, ‘Heil Hitler’ and ‘Gas Chambers.’ He also attempted to run a[n] [NFL] Super Bowl ad, redirecting users to a website selling swastika T-shirts,” Sen. Moody stated during the conference, listing the actions taken by Ye in 2025.
Sen. Moody asserted her position as an advocate for free speech, citing her career background as Attorney General, a judge, a federal prosecutor, and a lawyer, but affirmed her condemnation of the Sports Authority’s response to the concerns about the events.
“No, they hid behind ‘free speech’ and ‘contractual obligations’, Sen. Moody said, calling out the Sports Authority’s lack of accountability.
Tampa Sports Authority's Response
"We condemn antisemitism from any source. However, we also respect free speech rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, even when we disagree with that speech. In addition, no taxpayer money is being used for staging the Ye concerts. To suggest otherwise, is false,” the Tampa Sports Authority issued.
