An NFL executive has rejected claims that Taylor Swift’s romance with Travis Kelce is a ploy drum up further interest in football.
The Kansas City Chiefs star has been dating Swift, who has been at three of his last four NFL games to cheer him on – and in turn, bringing thousands of Swifties with her via the television coverage and even at stadiums.
Some cynical views surfaced around social media that the couple were not legitimate and were instead a publicity stunt, with Swift also benefiting from the limelight with her Eras Tour movie recently coming out.
But Marissa Solis, the NFL’s SVP of marketing, has said that if the couple are only a publicity stunt, the league is not in on the act.
Speaking to Deadline, she said: ‘People think that we may have had something to do with it. Absolutely not. We knew nothing.
The NFL has insisted it had no prior knowledge of Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift
‘We knew what you guys knew and followed on social media. Travis went to her concert, asked her to maybe come to a game. We had no idea that she was going to show up. And once it happened, she showed up to a game and in an instant, literally in a second, it’s viral.
‘When it happened, we were ready to roll with content like ‘Football 101 for Swifties,’ making sure that Swifties who had never watched a football game, didn’t understand what football was, knew at least the rules of the game.
‘But here’s what’s more important: I bet you didn’t know, there are thousands of core NFL fans who actually don’t know who Taylor Swift is.’
The couple spent last weekend together in New York after Swift initially flew to Kansas City for the Chiefs game against Denver Broncos.
It is not yet known if she’ll be back at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday for the game against Los Angeles Chargers – but she has a narrowing window where she can see him in action before she is back on tour.
Her next Eras show is November 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After this weekend, the Chiefs are in Denver to play the Broncos on October 29, but the following game with Miami Dolphins is in Germany on November 5.