Let me start off this article by prefacing that I love Taylor Swift. She’s an incredibly talented singer and songwriter, and I’ve been a fan since I was five years old. I couldn’t make it to the Eras tour, but I did watch the movie, and I saw her on her Fearless tour in 2010. She truly is one of the greatest performers in the modern era.
BUT now Taylor Swift is going too far. She has taken over FOOTBALL! People have very mixed feelings about this merger of the sports world with the pop culture world, and I have very strong opinions on the subject.
I’ve heard some disgusting misogynists say that they are against Taylor Swift’s infiltration of the NFL because it is getting more women to learn about football. Ugh, men. They just can’t stand it when women know more about sports than they do. As a woman and an avid sports fan, I think drawing women into the game is one of the positive things about Taylor’s takeover. Sports are for everyone, not just crazy drunk men who throw things at the TV when their team loses. The NFL is especially good at appealing to a larger audience, and bringing sports and pop culture together is nothing new for the organization. Between the game, the Halftime Show, and the commercials, the Super Bowl has something for everyone. Taylor Swift’s presence is just another way to open up the exciting world of football to even more people.
But that’s it. No other positives have come out of this. I’m not blaming Taylor Swift for everything. Most of it is the media’s fault. Her relationship with Travis Kelce has been covered way too much, and it takes over all the Chiefs’ games. Every time Travis Kelce touches the ball, the camera immediately shifts to Taylor Swift jumping up and down in a heated suite, protected from the -7º Kansas City air, with a bunch of other celebrities. The only people who want to see this are the Swifties. I don’t want to see a bunch of celebrities while I’m watching the game. All I care about is the game itself, and I think most football fans will agree.
I still believe that the constant focus on Taylor Swift during NFL games is an annoying distraction, but maybe I wouldn’t mind as much if she was dating Jason Kelce instead. I can’t stand the Chiefs. It feels like they’re in the Super Bowl every year now, just like the Patriots in the 2000s and 2010s. Can’t they just stop and give someone else a chance? They were in the Super Bowl last year, which I’m still bitter about since they beat the Eagles because of a controversial holding call. They’re overrated, and Patrick Mahomes is arrogant, and I’m tired of seeing him talking to Jake in every single State Farm commercial. And now the Chiefs have more fans, and it’s all because of the Swifties.
I was rooting for the Eagles all season long, but after going 1-6 to end the season, we had no chance. Then I was rooting for every team who had to play the Chiefs: first the Dolphins, then the Bills, then the Ravens. But those teams all lost, and now I’m at my lowest level as a fan ever. This year, I’m reluctantly rooting for the 49ers in the Super Bowl. All I care about is the Chiefs losing. I’m sick of seeing them everywhere, and the publicity from Taylor Swift is just making them more prevalent. The last thing I need to see is Taylor and Travis sharing a kiss on the field after a Chiefs win.
Yes, Taylor is taking up way too much of the media’s attention at NFL games, but her presence hasn’t been all bad. Even though the Chiefs and the 49ers aren’t the most well-liked teams, I still expect that a record number of people will be tuning into the big game this year, and it’s all thanks to Taylor Swift.
Go 49ers!
Sophomore Carrie Teti is a Staff Writer. Her email is cteti@fandm.edu.