Why Do NFL Fans Have a Problem with Taylor Swift?

Sunday afternoon's game between the Kansas City Chiefs (17) and the Baltimore Ravens (10) struck the nerves of many NFL fans after they realized that they would have to sit through one more football game that Taylor Swift shows up to.

Over the course of the 2023 season, there's no doubt that the NFL has taken advantage of the fact that one of the most popular musicians (and people) in the world has entered the world of football. During her first few appearances, broadcasts would repeatedly show Swift, sometimes on a random basis, throughout the game. This led to a frustration that fans had that I at first had agreed with.

I thought the exposure that Swift was getting felt forced, most of the time having nothing to do with her reactions to plays or interactions with others inside the suite in which she was watching the game. Fans voiced their opinions on this, prompting the NFL and game broadcasts to reduce her appearances, showing her only following significant plays like touchdowns.

However, as the Chiefs have made their way through the playoffs and will now play in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years, fans have spiraled as they believe that the NFL has rigged the playoffs so that they can ensure Taylor Swift will be there. Dating back to September, Apex Marketing Group told Front Office Sports that Swift has generated an equivalent brand value of $331.5 million for the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL. This number came from radio and television, digital and social media, and print reach and impressions.

The idea that the NFL would take advantage of Taylor Swift's presence as much as they can is not surprising from a business standpoint. However, the playoff games that the Chiefs have played thus far do not align with this idea. Going into Sunday's game, the Ravens had a top-five offense in the regular season and put up 34 points against the Houston Texans.

via @JoeyMannarinoUS on X

To only score 10 points in the AFC Championship game highlights deeper issues than just "the NFL is rigging the game" so Taylor Swift can be at the Super Bowl. Perhaps the Ravens should've run the ball more than six times with their running backs, given they had the number one rush offense this season.

Heading into the Super Bowl, the dialogue surrounding Taylor Swift's involvement is only going to be heightened, as viewers are now conspiring that they are going to have her perform with Usher for the halftime show. However, they fail to realize that Swift will be in Tokyo the night before the event as she returns on stage for The Eras Tour. Although it is likely that she will still find a way to go to the game itself, there's clearly no way for her to be able to create a performance together in that span of time.

The anger that NFL fans have towards Taylor Swift's involvement in the sport should not be directed at the pop star herself, but rather directed towards social media and television networks as people continue to cause a scene about her being at the games. Swift refrains from any sort of media engagement when it comes to her involvement with Travis Kelce and the NFL, however, that does not stop the public from criticizing her about how she reacts during the game.

Still, Taylor Swift continues to show her support for her boyfriend and generate media viewership for the NFL, which will certainly show in this year's Super Bowl.