The NFL has hopped on the Taylor Swift bandwagon amidst her dating rumors with Travis Kelce. However, with the league changing their social media bios and giving Swift a lot of screen time during games, many seem to think they are certainly overdoing it with the Swift coverage, including the Chifs’ TE.
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In his latest episode of New Heights Podcast, Kelce felt the same way most fans do with the overwhelming Taylor Swift trend. the Kelce brothers still believe the NFL needs to learn from the NBA in handling celebrities attending their games. However, the league soon defended their actions.
Travis Kelce Thinks the NFL is “Overdoing it a Little Bit”
In this Wednesday’s episode of the podcast “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,” NFL star Travis Kelce, 33, discussed the NFL’s level of attention on him and singer Taylor Swift. His brother, Jason Kelce, the 35-year-old center for the Philadelphia Eagles, couldn’t help but raise the ‘present-day’ concern of all NFL fans. He asked if Travis, like others, thought the NFL was going overboard with celebrity coverage as he “Take away your feelings for Taylor…”
And it seems like Travis also thinks the NFL is “overdoing it.” Kelce believes that while it’s enjoyable to see who attends games and believes it adds to the atmosphere, the excessive focus on celebrities can overshadow the sport. He said,
“I think it’s fun when they show who was at the game. 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, I think… They’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure, especially in my situation. [But] I think they’re just trying to have fun with it.”
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But the brothers couldn’t help but chime in on how the NFL needs to learn from the NBA because the NFL apparently is “just not used to celebrities coming to the games.” Jason believes that,
“Basketball has it figured out. They show them once or twice, but then they get back to the game. NFL is like, ‘Oh my god, look at all these A-list celebrities at the game, keep showing them, show em, show em…’ You show them once and let them know they’re there, and after touchdowns, you get a little clip, but it can’t be overboard with it. People are there to watch the game, right?”
After all, the NFL has hopped on the Swift bandwagon as they have changed their Twitter banner and IG and Twitter bios. It came after Taylor was spotted for a second time in a row cheering her rumored love interest, Chiefs’ TE Travis Kelce, with her celebrity crew of friends and TE’s mom, Donna Kelce, on the stands last Sunday. However, it seems like the NFL disagrees with this new ‘Swiftie’ outlook on their Swift-focused changes.
NFL Defends their take on the “Swiftie” Spotlight
The NFL has addressed criticism around the league’s recent focus on Taylor Swift and her rumored relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift, 33, who attended Kelce’s last two games, became a highlight on the NFL’s social media accounts. NFL posted frequently about the pop star during the game and even changed to their Instagram bio, saying, “The @Chiefs are now 2-0 with @TaylorSwift13 in attendance”. They even briefly featured the famed “Love-Story” singer as their TikTok header.
The @Chiefs are now 2-0 with @TaylorSwift13 in attendance. @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/5lrvwQjZ1n
— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2023
Seeing this, some football fans expressed annoyance, which led to the NFL clarifying its approach on Tuesday. According to the league, these social media modifications are part of their routine strategy to generate engaging content. With Grammy-award winning singer in the house, they believe it’s important to celebrate such noteworthy moments, aligning with broader marketing efforts.
@tamaranash #NFL Officially changed their header and #bio to #TaylorSwift #TaylorsVersion “Yes, Taylor Alison Swift you’re owning the NFL right now!! 😘Let’s F’n Go!!!! #fyp #TravisKelce #TaylorSwift #chiefs #kansascity #taylorswifttraviskelce #traviskelcetaylorswift #UPDATE #WATCH #socialmedia #trending #patmcfee #LFG ♬ original sound – Tamara
Speaking about it to The PEOPLE, they said, “We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what’s happening in and around our games, as well as culturally. 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.”
The NFL couldn’t help but emphasize how “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 league has also kept its coverage mostly on Swift’s attendance, instead leaning into her rumored relationship with Travis. The spotlight on Swift has drawn a lot of eyeballs to the games, and the league has seen a massive boost in female viewership. But hardcore fans of the sport are not onboard. What do you think?
