Is Media ‘Overdoing’ It? Understanding Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Saga in Depth

The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride for football fans. The Bears finally won their first game after 4 losses, Zach Wilson made a stellar comeback, and the Internet apologized for underplaying and dismissing Russell Wilson… no, that last bit did not happen. Wilson did prove doubters wrong but the Internet tendered no apologies. An eventful few weeks, nonetheless. But football’s latest “rumored” lovebirds – Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, overshadowed all of this.

We’ve been getting to hear so much about them that Kelce’s own brother had to ask him, “Do you think the NFL’s overdoing it?” We break down why we do not think the Swift-Kelce saga is going to end any time soon and why that may actually be a good thing. For the NFL, not diehard football fans. Football fans are doomed.

Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce hype annoyed hardcore NFL fans on a Gameday!

Here’s a quick recap of what happened. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce showed up at Arrowhead for Taylor’s Eras tour concert. He wanted to give her his number but failed to do so. Next thing we know, we see her with Mama Kelce in the VIP box on September 24 in the Bears vs. Chiefs match. Then on October 1, she was spotted at MetLife Stadium with other A-listers in the Chiefs vs. Jets game. 

While all this was happening, the NFL hyped up the rumored relationship by cutting to Taylor Swift every other second. And she did not even have to do anything. The NFL forced football fans to see her jump excitedly when Kelce made a good play, or talking to Donna Kelce, or sometimes… just stand there.

Many were annoyed and infuriated by the NFL’s coverage of Taylor Swift. Steven A. Smith said people should be “embarrassed” for getting so invested in their rumored relationship. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo made a viral video, asking NFL to “Let me watch the damn football!”. But, hey, don’t go by what they are saying. Hear it right from the horse’s mouth. Travis Kelce, in his New Heights podcast, said he thought the NFL was “overdoing it”. So, is the media torturing these ardent football fans, and what’s NFL’s take on it?

Taylor Swift did put Travis Kelce & NFL on the map!

The NFL has been trying for years to increase the international appeal of American football, and with Taylor Swift and her 100 million Swifties, they might have just broken into the mainstream. TMZ reported that Kelce’s jersey sales increased 400%, viewership for the Chiefs game skyrocketed and Kelce’s Instagram followers increased 276%. The NFL changed its bio to “NFL (Taylor’s version)” and after the Chiefs win over the Jets, to “Chiefs are 2-0 as Swifties”.

The NFL defended its antics by saying that it is “a pop cultural moment” and “we’ve leaned into in real time”. Swift enabled the NFL to make inroads into uncharted territory. Yahoo Finance reported a 53% rise in viewership among teen girls compared to the season-to-date average. Sunday night’s matchup between the Chiefs and the Jets drew 27 million viewers. Making it the most-watched Sunday TV show since the last Super Bowl, according to NBC Sports. While TV contracts worth billions will not be renegotiated mid-season, channels can use the uptick in the ratings to seek higher advertisement prices.

Read More: Rumored Love Interest Taylor Swift Is Reportedly Silent Despite Travis Kelce’s Birthday Bash

Marketing guru Joe Favorito noted “You want to be not just for the core fans. You want to be for everyone, anywhere, who has to talk about this the next day because they don’t want to feel like they’re missing out.”

“I’ve been asked the question more than once: `What happens when and if they break up?’” the NFL’s Trombetta said. “I have no idea. But I hope they can stay together as long as possible.” For now, it seems like the NFL is going to ride the Swift-Kelce wave as long as they can and hardcore football fans will just have to put up with all this. What do you think?

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Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.