When Taylor Swift sang “you and me, we got big reputations,” she could have been describing her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. Ever since the two stars were seen together back in July of 2023, the media has gone wild; Swift fans have become interested in the National Football League (NFL) and famous magazines, such as Vogue, are all up in their business.
Moreover, the NFL social media accounts, such as Instagram and Tiktok, have featured Swift in their posts regularly since she attended her first Chiefs game on Sept. 24, 2023.
With all this being said, some NFL fans are arguing that Swift has ruined football and taken attention away from the hard work of the players. This argument, however, unfairly places a spotlight on Swift that instead should be directed towards the NFL marketing teams.
Swift has been involved with the music industry for years and part of her job, as a celebrity, is to make headlines every now and then. But when it comes to the NFL, they have their own sphere of influence.
The NFL is known for some of the most-watched events in the United States. Take, for example, how “9 out of 10 of the most-watched television broadcasts in the USA are Super Bowls” (vanityfair.com). The popularity of NFL events simply cannot be overshadowed by one person, even if that person is Taylor Swift.
So, when it comes to media attention, it really revolves around what is trending or interesting at the moment. If the NFL has a major event coming up, they will be the center of attention, and if Taylor Swift announces a new album, she will get the coverage.
It is unfair to compare platforms with different audiences and claim that one platform is overshadowing the other. The NFL media plays into what viewers want to see, and if Swift is in the audience at a Chiefs game, chances are there will be some shots if her now and then.
However, the attention that she gets is not her fault; it is simply based on the nature of social media and what tactics will engage viewers the most.
