Patrick Manteiga says he would hate to say the First Amendment mattered for Ye but not for Macklemore
Patrick ManteigaMember of the Tampa Sports Authority board
Patrick Manteiga, a member of the Tampa Sports Authority board, told the Tampa Bay Times that after the authority's experience with the Ye concerts he would hate to say the First Amendment matters in that case but not for Macklemore. He said he is happy to side on the First Amendment all day long.
“After going through the Kanye thing, I would hate to say that the First Amendment matters there and it doesn’t matter here I’m happy to side on the First Amendment all day long.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech and removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour
At two Ed Sheeran concerts at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore called for a free Palestine, accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, and said criticism of Israel was not criticism of Jewish people. After venue objections, tour promoter Messina Touring Group said he would not perform the remaining U.S. Loop Tour dates. Critics characterized the performance as hostile or inappropriate; Macklemore defended it as a call for equal treatment.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Tampa Bay Times report of September 15, 2026 on whether the Tampa Sports Authority, the public agency that manages Raymond James Stadium, played a part in Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour. It quotes several authority board members.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
In June, Raymond James Stadium hosted two Ye concerts despite pushback from residents, Jewish leaders and Florida politicians. The Tampa Bay Times reported that the Tampa Sports Authority condemned antisemitism but said canceling the shows could spark First Amendment challenges, and that a clause in Ye's contract barred it from canceling over prior public statements or political viewpoints.
After the quotation
The Times also reported that Manteiga and board member Joe Robinson directed questions about artists and their contracts to the authority's staff, and that the authority said it had no records of Sheeran's contract.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case looks at Macklemore's Free Palestine speech and his removal from the tour. Manteiga said he would hate to say the First Amendment mattered for Ye's Tampa concerts but not for Macklemore, and that he is happy to side with the First Amendment. That supports Macklemore's right to perform, so we labeled it Defended or excused, as with other statements that support Macklemore's right to speak.
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More from this case
Read the full caseMacklemore says the "billionaire class" should not decide "which voices are allowed on stage"
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention. So we're going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.”Read statement
Jewish Voice for Peace says the backlash to Macklemore's removal shows support for pro-Palestine speech
Jewish Voice for Peace
“Two years into Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine organizing, the backlash against Sheeran shows how little patience Americans have for attacks on pro-Palestine speech. It also demonstrates the shift toward support for Palestinian rights among everyday Americans that our movements have helped propel.”Read statement
Macklemore announces "Free Palestine Tour" after removal from U.S. dates
“To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Patrick Manteiga says he would hate to say the First Amendment mattered for Ye but not for Macklemore". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3405-patrick-manteiga-a-member-of-the-tampa-sports