Is the NFL excessive in its coverage of Taylor Swift or is the league working with her?
The NFL’s love affair with the pop star has seemingly run into the realm of stalking, at least that’s how some are starting to see it. The league has pushed back.
It’s the story that has captivated Swifties and NFL fans alike as rumors continue to swirl about what’s possibly going on between Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. On the other hand, it brings into question the idea of what is too much when it comes to celebrity culture and those who follow it.
Is the Kelce/Swift coverage too much?
Even if you’re a casual football fan who occasionally listens to pop music, there’s simply no way you haven’t heard the chatter about a possible relationship between pop superstar Taylor Swift and Chiefs player, Travis Kelce. Truth be told there’s been more said about their association in recent weeks than football or music, and while it may surprise you, that’s something the NFL itself appears to be promoting. Indeed, from the massive increase in TV ratings - especially among female viewers - and spikes in ticket prices for Chiefs games, one could make a case for the idea that a Swift/Kelse pairing would be good for business. Yet, that’s where things get sticky.
For starters, it would appear that Kelce himself has had enough of the increased attention. Despite the huge jump - 400% to be exact - in his jersey sales and a significant climb in the number of Instagram followers that he has, Kelce recently made it clear that he thinks that the league is “overdoing it.” Speaking alongside his brother and Philadelphia Eagles player, Jason Kelce, on their “New Heights” podcast Travis opened up about how he views the focus on him and Swift. “I think it’s fun when they show who’s at the game,” Travis said. “I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time, they’re overdoing it a little bit.”
The NFL doesn’t think so
So, this brings us to the present which is to say the NFL has now defended its coverage of the relationship between Swift and Kelce. Referring to it as a “pop cultural moment,” the league has apparently taken the stance that there is nothing out of place where the attention paid to the pair is concerned. With that said, let’s consider for a moment what has occurred so far. In the two Chiefs games that Swift has attended, wins against the Chicago Bears and New York Jets respectively, she was shown constantly throughout. The NFL even took the step of changing the bio for its official X account to “NFL (Taylor’s Version),” while the league’s Instagram account featured a post saying, “Chiefs are 2-0 as Swifties.” You be the judge.
As for what the league NFL has said. In a statement released on Wednesday, the league spoke to the backlash that it has begun to receive from some fans. “We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what’s happening in and around our games, as well as culturally,” the NFL wrote in a statement Wednesday. “The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real-time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport.” Now, to be fair to the league, it’s not the only organization trying to capitalize on Swift and Kelce, as even Heinz has joined the party. Following footage of Swift eating chicken nuggets with what appeared to be ranch and ketchup, the company announced the release of a new “Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch” product, but again, you be the judge.
Is the NFL at fault?
To put this whole scenario in perspective, it’s understood that Swift’s rumored attendance for last Sunday’s game against the Jets produced an average of 27 million television viewers, the most watched Sunday night game since the Super Bowl last February. On top of that, the broadcast of the game featured advertisements for Swift’s upcoming concert film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” set to be released on October 13th. Following each spot, the broadcast panned to Swift in her luxury box seats, while making several references to her song lyrics.
“The vast majority of our content has remained focused on the game, our players, and a variety of other initiatives, including our Toy Story Funday Football alt-cast, the international games, and more,” the NFL’s statement added. So, here’s the thing: While it’s clear that the NFL has gone to new levels where Swift and her fanbase are concerned, it’s worth noting that by promoting her as well, the street appears to have two directions. On the other hand, when is enough, enough? As we said before, you be the judge.