Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce broke the internet over the weekend when the pop star attended the Kansas City Chiefs’ game at Arrowhead Stadium. As the most recent Super Bowl champions played, and beat, the Chicago Bears, images and clips of the “Cruel Summer” singer were quickly flying around the internet, and everyone seemed to be giving their two cents on the rumored couple. This included the announcers of the game, who couldn’t help but talk about the possible pairing. However, what we didn’t hear at the game was Swift’s music, and now we know why.
In a first-person account of what it was like producing the broadcast, Richie Zyontz, the FOX NFL lead producer, explained how they prepared for and handled the event after they learned that Taylor Swift would be in the building. He wrote in his piece for Fox Sports how the rumors had spread throughout the day, and eventually it was confirmed. They then asked if they could use some of the pop star’s songs during the game, and they were met with a hard no.
The producer said after they heard rumblings that Swift would be in Arrowhead Stadium, they asked for permission to use her music during the broadcast. According to FOX’s music department, the pop star’s record label and publishing company wouldn’t approve it “in conjunction with speculations on or about her private/personal/dating life."
The producers wanted to take this wild moment and “capture it, remember it,” as Swift sings. However, they were not allowed to score it with any of her songs. Based on the explanation behind why they weren’t approved for music, it seems to be tied to the speculation surrounding Travis Kelce’s and Swift’s rumored relationship. Her being at that game wasn’t professional, she was there for a personal reason. With that in mind, and likely understanding the scale of which her personal life was being broadcast, her record label and publishing company didn’t allow her music to be played, which would have added even more emphasis to her attendance at the game.
While we didn’t hear a hint of “You Belong with Me,” “Shake it Off” or any of Swift’s hits, there was still so much attention on her, her reactions to the game and her interactions with the people in Kelce’s suite. Viewers were focused on her talking with his mom, Donna Kelce. They got a real kick out of her chest bumping another person there when the Chiefs scored. Then, when Travis Kelce and her were seen driving off in the “Getaway Car,” many lost their minds.
After the game, Swift’s impact on it was immediately felt. Travis Kelce’s jersey sales went up 400%, and he gained about 300,000 new Instagram followers, per CBS Sports. The Chief's ticket sales were also three times higher than they were a few days earlier. Overall, the Taylor Swift effect was felt, even though none of her music was played.
Travis Kelce then opened up about Swift’s appearance at the game, acknowledging how much attention was swiftly put on him and his personal life. He spoke highly about the singer being there and how his friends and family reacted to her. The tight end also clarified that moving forward, he would be sticking to talking about sports, and he wouldn’t say too much about his personal life. This message is also aligned with why the NFL and FOX weren't allowed to use Swift’s music during the broadcast.
While Taylor Swift’s tunes weren't featured on the small screen during this game, they will be blasting from the big screen soon. This is because her historic Eras Tour is now a concert film, and it’s set to premiere on the 2023 movie schedule October 13.
