Taylor Swift sparks outrage among NFL and Travis Kelce fans over new video appearance

Taylor Swift has been credited with increasing interest in the NFL amid her relationship with Travis Kelce and she now features in a promo video for the new season of the league.

The NFL has been met with a backlash over the inclusion of Taylor Swift on several occasions in a new promotional video ahead of the upcoming American football season.
Taylor, 34, attended several games last season amid her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, 34. And although she’s credited with having increased the visibility of the beloved sport, some fans weren’t keen at the time on the level of media coverage that she was given.

There’s now criticism over the singer-songwriter appearing five times in a promo video for the upcoming season, which was released on social media recently with the caption: “Football is back this week.” It comes ahead of the opening game, which will see Travis’ team, who are the reigning champions, take on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

The video shows highlights from the previous season, which ran from September last year to February this year. Taylor appears more than anyone else in it, according to the Daily Mail, featuring in five clips. The outlet reports that several notable NFL players didn’t feature at all, citing examples such as quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Joe Burrow, who play for the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals respectively.

Two clips, dated to last September, show Taylor watching from the stands at games beside Travis’ mother Donna Kelce. She’s then seen for a third time in footage of her arriving to a game in January. Her fourth appearance in the video shows her kissing Travis on the field that same month. She’s seen ‘chugging’ a drink in a fifth clip, taken from the Super Bowl in February.

There’s been a mixed reaction to the promo video, which was been shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday. A number of people have hit out at the NFL for Taylor’s multiple appearances, with one fan saying it was “ridiculous”.

Another said: “Being shown 5 times in a 28 second clip, doesn’t make sense. Twice is amazing. As it is growing the game, but she was shown more than any other player in the league in that clip.” Someone said: “So embarrassing.”

“Saw Taylor Swift 5 times and didn’t even see my own team,” another viewer reacted. Whilst someone else said in a tweet: “Tell me why Taylor Swift has the most screen time of anyone in this hype video. What the f*** is this?”

Another wrote: “Lol I can be okay with Taylor Swift being in it once, but being the one individual with those most screen time for an NFL hype video is absurd.” One fan said: “This video shows 2023 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson 1 time, and Taylor Swift 5 times.”

Sharing their thoughts, another fan said: “Showing Taylor Swift 5+ times in an NFL hype video is nasty work you guys should be ashamed.” Another wrote alongside a laughing emoji: “Showing her 5 times in a NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE trailer is diabolical.”

Someone else encouraged the NFL to “do better,” whilst one viewer wrote: “Stop showing Taylor Swift – we don’t care.” The comment has amassed more than 5,000 likes on the platform but it also prompted defences of Taylor.

“Oh hun but millions do. The @NFL isn’t just about you,” read one response to the comment. Someone else said: “Some of us do!! Get over it!” Also reacting, one fan said: “We do care.” Another responded: “Speak for yourself.”

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They weren’t alone in supporting Taylor and the NFL, with others noting that she has increased interest in the sport over the last 12 months. Addressing questions over her inclusion, one fan said: “Demographics. Getting more people into the sport. Taylor Swift single-handedly did that last year and will continue into this season. @NFL knows this.” Whilst another said: “This is marketing 101. What brings the eyes brings the money.”

It may come as no surprise to some fans that Taylor featured in the promo video, as the NFL has previously credited her with her having increased its visibility. As reported by Deadline, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said back in February that the so-called ‘Taylor Swift effect’ was a “positive”. Roger added: “I think it’s great to have her a part of it. Obviously, it creates a buzz, it creates another group of young fans, particularly young women, that are interested [and] I think that’s great for us.”