00:00 The NFL is defending its Decision 2 spotlight Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in its league
00:04 coverage amid recent backlash from some football fans.
00:09 The pop star was the talk of the town for the past two weekends when she showed up at
00:13 the last two Kansas City Chiefs games to support Travis Kelce, fueling romance rumors between
00:18 the two.
00:19 Her appearances caused a social media frenzy, something the NFL took note of.
00:24 During the Chiefs-Jets game at MetLife Stadium, the NFL played into the extra attention the
00:28 singer has brought to the league by spotlighting Swift, a commercial spot featuring her 1989
00:33 track "Welcome to New York," and frequently having the cameras pan over to the star in
00:37 her suite alongside her A-list friends including Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Hugh Jackman
00:43 and Sophie Turner.
00:44 The NFL also changed its bio on their official social accounts, at one point writing "NFL
00:49 Taylor's version" in its bio on X.
00:51 Some football fans were upset about the whole ordeal, saying the NFL appeared to be focused
00:56 on celebrity and celebrating one team's victory.
00:59 In response, the league said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, "We frequently
01:03 change our bios and profile imagery based on what's happening in and around our games,
01:08 as well as culturally.
01:09 The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop-cultural moment we've leaned to
01:13 in real time, as it's an intersection of sport and entertainment and we've seen an incredible
01:18 amount of positivity around the sport."
01:21 The statement also comes after Kelce said on a new episode of his New Heights podcast
01:25 that he thinks the coverage of Swift at his games is overdoing it, knowing, "I think it's
01:29 fun when they show who all is at the game.
01:31 I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere.
01:33 But…
01:34 "But at the same time I think they're overdoing it.
01:37 They're overdoing it a little bit, for sure, especially my situation."
01:40 For more on this story, head to THR.com.
01:43 And for the latest entertainment news and updates, keep watching The Hollywood Reporter
01:47 News.
01:47 The Hollywood Reporter News
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