NFL Should Lean Into Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Engagement This Season -- To A Degree

For the third straight year, Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift will be a central storyline of the NFL season. But this year is different: Kelce and Swift are now engaged. She is his fiancée. And talks about Kelce's future after this season are legitimate.

So, for those hoping to watch the NFL this season without multiple mentions and camera shots of Taylor Swift—sorry, that won’t happen. In fact, the Chiefs open the season on September 5 in São Paulo, Brazil, in the NFL’s first-ever YouTube-exclusive matchup. Because YouTube will offer the game free of charge, it has a unique chance to prove it can outdraw the league’s other streaming partners. And what better way to reach the broadest audience than by spotlighting the country’s most mainstream pop star?

That raises the question: how much should the NFL lean into Kelce-Swift—and Swift herself—this season?

2023 was too much

Objectively, the NFL went overboard in 2023. At times, Kelce’s teammates scored touchdowns only for broadcasts to cut immediately to Swift’s reaction. Notably, NBC showed her after a 48-yard touchdown run by Isiah Pacheco in Week 4 instead of the replay. That was excessive.

Kelce’s relationship with Swift should never overshadow the action on the field. Football fans will be around far longer than those tuning in simply to catch glimpses of Swift.

Still, at its core, the NFL is a television product. What’s best for ratings is best for the league. Bluntly put, Swift delivers ratings.

Getty Images

The Growth Opportunity

The NFL is America’s most popular form of entertainment. Which means its growth ceiling is limited. Most sports fans and gamblers are already on board. The only logical expansion lies with women, particularly those who might remain NFL or Chiefs fans long-term.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt recently claimed his team now has more female fans than male. We are skeptical that's actually the case. Nonetheless, postseason ratings proved last season that female viewership spikes when the Chiefs play. That’s no coincidence.

In fact, television executives now believe the Chiefs are a bigger draw on television than even the Dallas Cowboys. As the New York Times reported:

The article concluded:

We agree. But the Chiefs' claim to the title won't last forever, or perhaps beyond this season.

Kelce’s Future

Just hours before Kelce announced his engagement, ESPN’s Nate Taylor reported that people close to Kelce expect this to be his final season in the NFL.

Reading between the lines, Kelce appeared determined to commit to Swift before immersing himself in one final football season.

And the Chiefs aren’t the only ones planning for his exit. Industry sources say the league’s broadcast partners also expect this to be Kelce’s last dance.

Consider this: YouTube, Netflix, CBS, Fox, NBC, Amazon, and ESPN/ABC will all air at least one Chiefs' game this year. Every one of them will want to maximize the Kelce-Swift effect while they still can. Even Donald Trump was asked about their engagement this week.

"Well, I wish them a lot of luck," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "He’s a great player, a great guy. She’s a terrific person. So, I wish them a lot of luck."

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced they're engaged. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/GC Images)

Striking the Right Balance

Of course, there’s a line. There always is. And this year, that line varies by network.

For example, CBS will carry eight of the Chiefs’ 17 regular-season games and shouldn’t tailor every broadcast to Swifties. On the other hand, platforms like YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix—each airing just one Chiefs' game this season (likely their last Kelce broadcast)—deserve a little grace.

Put simply, we fall somewhere between those who insist Taylor is bigger than football (she’s not) and those who threaten to boycott every time the cameras pan her way.

Networks and streamers: have fun, pump up your ratings—but don’t be weird and obsessive like you were in 2023. Do that, and everyone wins.

In all sincerity: congratulations to Travis and Taylor—and the NFL.