The NFL is lucky to have Taylor Swift around!
On Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed his gratitude for Midnight singer, 34, and her love for football. He said at a press conference ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl that she has had a “wonderful” effect on the ratings since she started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce last year.
“I think it’s great that she’s a part of it,” said Goodell, 64. “It creates a buzz, it creates another group of young fans — especially young women — who are interested in the question, ‘Why is she going to this game?’ Why is she interested in this game?’”
“Besides Travis, she’s a soccer fan and I think that’s great for us,” he continued.
Goodell also noted that more people are getting involved because of “a lot of competition” among teams this year. He said 70% of NFL games “were within one score in the fourth quarter.”
Still, he said he can’t deny the “Taylor Swift Effect” has boosted ratings.
“The ‘Taylor Swift effect’ is also positive,” he admitted. “Both Travis and Taylor are wonderful young people and seem very happy. She knows a great party and that’s why she loves NFL football.”
Chiefs Game ratings spike as Taylor Swift cheers for Travis Kelce
Patrick Smith/Getty
When asked about rumors that Swift’s involvement in the games was “scripted,” Goodell laughed and denied anything was set up.
“There’s no way I could have written that,” he said.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Accepts Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Romance: ‘It’s Great for the League’
Goodell added that he sees where fans’ passion for Swift comes from, having attended two of the pop superstar’s Eras tours shows with his daughters and wife.
“She’s a great performer, she knows a great party,” he said, adding, “She’s the best of the best, so for her to come to NFL games, for her to be a part of that, is nothing but positive.”
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Goodell isn’t the only one happy about Swift’s impact on the NFL since she started dating Kelce, 34. FOX Sports’ Erin Andrews recently told PEOPLE that the Grammy winner is expanding the audience and encouraging women to invest in sports.
“I was very passionate and emotional about it. I think it’s amazing,” Andrews, 45, said during an interview for her clothing line, WEAR by Erin Andrews, on Monday. “I feel so sorry for people who have any problem with that.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education