taylor swift vs. nfl

By: Emily Murphy

​It seems like there is always a blaring spotlight on Taylor Swift. Everyday there is a new article about what she's earing, what she's wearing, and the current focal point of her frequent publicity -- who she's dating. Recently, Taylor Swift began dating tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce. Their storybook romance began when Kelce gifted her a friendship bracelet with his number at one of her concerts. Although he was not able to see her, the two later reconnected and hit it off right away. Since then, she has been at the majority of his football games, living out a romance reminiscent of the one between Troy and Gabriella from High School Musical. So, why is there so much controversy surrounding Taylor Swift and the NFL?

Many football fans are enraged about Swift's presence at games. They claim the NFL is focusing on her too much, and her constant screen time is taking away from the game. As a Taylor Swift fan, I must admit there is some truth to this statement. The NFL is aware of the publicity Swift brings, and has no qualms about taking advantage of it. They often cut to her during games and will occasionally mention her on social media, be it through a Tweet, TikTok, or changing their account bio to "Taylor was here." Still, the aggressive hate Swift receives is unwarranted. Football fans, particularly men, have denounced the publicity she has brought to the NFL, skeptical that girls are "suddenly interested in football." This is an overt generalization. While some Taylor Swift fans have become interested in football because of her, many others were fans beforehand. Furthermore, if some girls are discovering they love football because of Taylor Swift, why is that a bad thing? Regardless, the hate Swift is receiving has transferred not only onto her boyfriend, but also his team. Many fans aggressively rooted against the Chiefs out of their hatred for Taylor Swift. It is alright to not like Taylor Swift, be it her music or her personality, but it is obvious that some football fans are raising complaints about the wrong things for the wrong reasons.

I think most of the Taylor Swift hate is a result of oversaturation. Many are suffering from Taylor Swift Fatigue. That being said, it is important to remember that it is not necessarily her fault, and it is not okay to take that annoyance out in the form of violence, hate messages, or threats.