Taylor Swift fans have called out the National Football League (NFL) for “capitalising” on the “Anti-Hero” singer’s recent attendances.
The 33-year-old pop phenom has brought a new wave of attention to the Kansas City Chief’s team following reports that she is dating tight-end Travis Kelce, 33.
To commemorate the Chiefs’ victory over the New York Jets on Sunday (1 October), the official NFL X/Twitter account briefly changed its banner to a photo edit of Swift, who was at the game.
The photo collage included three different snapshots of Swift reacting excitedly during the game.
“We had the best day with you today,” the account’s new bio read, referencing the lyrics to the star’s 2008 song “The Best Day.”
Before the account changed its bio and banner again to promote the Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Buffalo Bills at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday, 8 October, Swift fans were quick to criticise the “bizarre” move.
“Y’all be honest is it unreasonable that I find this a little strange?” one person wrote.
“As both a Swiftie and an avid football fan, this is BEYOND strange and the NFL is just trying to capitalise off of her. It’s sick,” a second commented.
A third person agreed, calling the change “very, very odd”, while another questioned: “Like why is the NFL more focused on Taylor than some of its players???”
Swift’s Sunday attendance marked her second public appearance at a Chief’s game since it was reported that she is dating Kelce. This time, however, she brought along a few famous friends, including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
The day after the Chief’s 23-20 win over the Jets, NBC announced that the game was ranked as the most-watched Sunday NFL show since Super Bowl LVII in February.
According to the network, its coverage averaged approximately 27 million viewers across NBC and its streaming platform, Peacock.
The figure is up 22 per cent from the Chiefs’ week four game last year, which saw them take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Swift’s appearance comes a week after she attended the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. After the game, which saw the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10, Swift and Kelce were filmed leaving the stadium together in the American football player’s convertible. They reportedly then rented out an entire restaurant for a private, post-game celebration.
Dating rumours began to circulate in July after Kelce admitted on his podcast with his brother Jason, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, that he had tried to give the pop star his number with a friendship bracelet.
