Tuesday, June 9, 2026

NFL, Kelce At Odds On Taylor Swift Coverage

  • Travis Kelce says the NFL is overdoing the hype around his relationship with Taylor Swift.
  • Chiefs-Jets drew 27 million viewers on NBC with Swift in attendance.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Is there no such thing as too much publicity?

The relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift has turned the NFL into a pop culture media circus since the pop superstar first attended the Kansas City Chiefs-Chicago Bears game at Arrowhead Stadium two weeks ago.

But after NBC cut away to Taylor Swift 17 times during the Chiefs-Jets “Sunday Night Football” broadcast and showed two commercials for her new movie, the man at the center of it all believes the hype may be getting too big.

“They’re overdoing it a little bit for sure, especially my situation,” Kelce said on “New Heights,” the podcast he co-hosts with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. 

The Chiefs-Jets game drew 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched Sunday broadcast since Super Bowl LVII in February. NBC drew about 2 million more female viewers than its season average so far for “SNF.”

The Chiefs play at Minnesota on Sunday, then two more home games, and finally a matchup at Denver before Swift begins the international leg of The Eras Tour on Nov. 9. It remains to be seen whether she will attend any more of Kelce’s games this season.

Musical Chairs

The Swift-Kelce hype has already gotten so big that the NFL has had to defend its promotion of the relationship.

“The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport,” the league said in a statement.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Josh Allen Tops NFLPA’s Top-50 Player Sales List

Saquon Barkley previously held the top spot. 

NFL Faces Renewed Congressional Attack Over Media Pricing, Access

Federal scrutiny rises further around the league’s media policies.
Mar 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; FS1 announcer Jason Benetti during the game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Washington State Cougars at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

How NBC’s Jason Benetti Learned to Trust His Dry Wit

Benetti is in his first season as NBC’s lead baseball announcer.
Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.

Featured Today

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.
May 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Fans participate in a tarp off during a MLB game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium
May 28, 2026

‘Tarps Off’: How Shirtless Fans Took Over MLB

The viral movement began with the SFA club baseball team.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; NBA analyst for ESPN,Stephen A. Smith before game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Trump, Stephen A. Smith Escalate NBA Finals–Fueled Feud

Trump questioned if Smith has the IQ required to run for president.
Jun 2, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) brings the ball up-court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
June 8, 2026

ESPN Ends NBA Finals AI Graphics After Viral Tony Parker Image

Online outrage surfaced after ABC aired an AI-generated image of Tony Parker.
June 8, 2026

NBA, NHL Title Series Continue Delivering Big Audiences for ABC

The NHL is continuing its television audience growth wave.
Sponsored

How the Premier League is Rewiring Fan Engagement With AI

Inside the Premier League’s AI-powered effort to bring fans closer to the game through personalized experiences.
Jun 4, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns players and coaches pose for a group photo after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win the NCAA WomenÕs College World Series championship series at Devon Park.
June 8, 2026

WCWS Finals Break Viewership Records

Game 2 of the WCWS finals averaged 2.5 million viewers on ESPN.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.
June 5, 2026

NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Is Highest Since 2019

Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs is Monday.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson (left) and Tim Legler (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.
June 5, 2026

ESPN’s Tim Legler: ‘I Don’t Think About Coaching Anymore’

Legler is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.
June 5, 2026

Stanley Cup Final Viewership for Game 1 Nearly Doubles on ABC

The Vegas win was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019.