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With Super Bowl Sunday quickly approaching, it’s time to look past all the negative talk that has surrounded Taylor Swift being at National Football League games.
When many people think of football and the NFL right now, they think of Taylor Swift. The reason for that is because the 14-time Grammy award-winning singer is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The first time Swift attended a Chiefs game in support of Kelce was on Sept. 24, 2023, when the Chiefs took on the Chicago Bears.
Since then, the NFL has entered into the Swiftie era.
Since attending Chiefs games, Swift has gotten a lot of (additional) media attention. Some of it’s good, but there’s also some bad blood from football fans.
On social media, a lot of fans are saying things like to stop showing her on television when she attends a game or that she’s ruining the sport. Some Baltimore Ravens fans were seen smashing Swift’s vinyl records outside the stadium before the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago. The Chiefs won 17-10, which some may call karma.
However, there is a positive side to Swift attending NFL games. Some may think she is new to watching football, but that’s not true. Swift was born in West Reading, Penn., and grew up a Philadelphia Eagles fan. Her and her parents got to meet former Eagles head coach and current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during his time in Philly.
Perhaps more importantly, Swift has generated the Chiefs and NFL $331.5 million in “brand value” since September, when she started coming to games this season, according to data by Apex Marketing Group. That data includes print, digital, radio, television, highlights and social media monitoring.
On the other side of the social media scale, there have been positive results of Swift being on TV at NFL games. Many young fans of Swift have also become interested in football after seeing Swift at the games supporting Kelce and the Chiefs.
For example, at the Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills game in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Jan. 21, Travis Kelce’s brother, Jason, was seen in a luxury suite alongside Swift. After jumping out of the suite to celebrate his brother’s touchdown and celebrating with the fans, he saw two young girls holding Swift signs. Jason Kelce’s fatherly instincts kicked in, and he held the fans up so Swift could see the signs they made her.
Those girls were more than likely at the game with their parents, and if they’re football fans or not, those girls got to bond with their parents through football because Swift was there. Another example is the numerous videos on social media of girls watching games each week with their parents, who are also bonding with their children because Swift has become part of the football world.
In a social media post by “Poststyle,” the Washington Post’s entertainment news outlet, they talked about Peter Dustin, a stay-at-home father of two girls. He discussed his relationship with his oldest daughter.
After she had gotten older, Dustin said it had become hard for her to talk about certain things with him. Dustin’s daughter began watching football because Swift was involved, and they connected because they are 49ers fans.
Dustin said, “What I’m hoping is that with our connection through Swifties and Kelce and football, [my daughter] won’t be embarrassed or uncomfortable to talk to me about anything.” As 49ers fans, they will undoubtably be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday, when the Chiefs take on their team.
Robert Muro, a father who switched from coaching football to girls sports so he could teach his daughters if they become interested, was quoted in the social media post as saying, “There isn’t a better feeling – not because she is interested in football, but because she wants to spend time with me.”
Swift being involved with football is bigger than just a celebrity at a football game – she is a role model to these children, and them seeing her at football games piques their interest in football. From there, children can bond with their parents through a shared enjoyment of the game.
So, to all those people who post hateful comments about Taylor Swift being at NFL games, take a step back and realize that these children are getting to enjoy football with their parents because she got them interested in the game.
Cannon Crompton is sports editor of the Cherokee Scout. Call him at 828-837-5122, Ext. 18, or email sports@cherokeescout.com.