It was just a week ago that I encouraged you to ignore the “are-they-aren’t-they” dating saga of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift and simply enjoy the ride.
I also addressed the emerging theories about the validity of their relationship and whether they were genuinely interested in each other or doing it for publicity: “First of all: If this is some kind of ‘stunt’ for PR or clout … as my For The Win colleagues have rightfully pointed out on our Slack channel: Whom does it benefit?”
A week later, with Swift attending her second-straight Kansas City Chiefs game with cameras pointed at her for most of the night (did she say “Look at him!” after the game to Blake Lively? SQUEEE!), the tin foil hats are squarely on heads of those who aren’t buying it. I’ve seen endless tweets, and, as a sports journalist, have had countless conversations with people all wondering the same thing: It’s got to be fake, right?
The legendary Mike Freeman here at USA TODAY Sports wrote a column on the subject tapping into the zeitgeist while noting how great it is to watch these two maybe end up dating, even if it is a “fake” relationship for now:
It’s OK. This moment is actually interesting and fun. A certain sort of goofy obsession has seeped in. No, it’s not real, but who cares? We all love this phony love affair. We will continue to love it. We will keep loving it until this spectacularly fake relationship dies and Kelce becomes a cautionary lyric on one of Swift’s future albums.
This is where I want to go back to my original point and expand on it. I’m not sure if it’s fake or not. What I do know is it feels a little too public — especially considering someone as famous as Swift could simply say, “No, thanks. I don’t want or need to be a spectacle or distraction.”
Which brings me to this: Who significantly benefits from this if it’s all for show? It’s certainly not Swift, who isn’t lacking in wealth, popularity or success. It’s not Kelce, a likely future Hall of Famer who’s his own pop culture force thanks to the power of social media, a podcast, commercials and an SNL hosting gig.
The answer is the NFL, an organization not hesitating to milk this for all it’s worth:
The NBA was never this down bad pic.twitter.com/QfxjOLYXVB
— ً (@FanMahome) October 2, 2023
This makes all the sense in the world for a league known for continually fumbling issues directly involving women, particularly its lenient attitudes toward players accused of domestic violence — from Ray Rice to Greg Hardy and everyone in between and beyond — or allowing bedazzled pink jerseys to become the NFL’s unofficial symbol of what it takes to appeal to women who already love football and probably own regular jerseys without complaint. The NFL has made some strides as an organization, of course, but there’s so much more work to be done.
So why would Swift want to align herself with a league with that kind of history for the sake of a PR stunt? It makes no sense! I’m imagining some league exec in a trench coat meeting with Swift in a Nashville parking garage and saying, “If you attend Travis’s games, there’s something in it for you.”
… to which I imagine Swift would laugh for a full minute, spin on her heels and leave to go re-record another one of her albums that will go triple platinum.
If it turns out to be a ploy, so be it. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time a celebrity couple raised eyebrows regarding the timing and circumstances of their relationship. Still, there has to be a purpose for it if that’s the case. As far as what that purpose is? I don’t have a good answer.