 In September 2003, the NFL announced that Jackson would be the headline performer of the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.Because the event was occurring during an election year, MTV decided that the show's theme would heavily focus on the network's "Choose or Lose" campaign, which encouraged younger viewers to be politically active and register to vote.Prior to the incident, Timberlake had attended Jackson's "Rhythm Nation Tour" as an adolescent, and Jackson's energetic dance routines and daring performing style made a deep impression on him.