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The NFL was asked about the Super Bowl being “scripted” for Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs.
As the Kansas City Chiefs have battled their way to yet another Super Bowl appearance, a popular conspiracy theory has spread — the NFL has “scripted” the entire KC playoff run because of the extra television ratings that Taylor Swift has brought their games.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about those claims while addressing the fanbase and the championship matchup on February 5.
“What do you say to those who think it’s all scripted by the NFL?” The reporter questioned after discussing Swift’s overall impact on viewership.
After a slight pause, Goodell laughed and said: “I don’t think I’m that good a scripter — or anybody on our staff.”
“I think it’s… you know, I… listen,” the commissioner stammered. Finally, he settled on the following: “There is no way that I could have scripted that one. Let’s just put it that way.”
Goodell went on to call Swift a “remarkable” performer that “knows great entertainment.” He concluded that the singer-songwriter is “the best of the best,” and that “having her come to NFL games” is “nothing but a positive.”
The earlier question on Swift asked about the “record-breaking” number of viewers for the AFC and NFC Championship games — and whether or not Goodell attributes that to the “Taylor Swift effect.”
Chiefs/Ravens
• 55.4 million viewers
• Peaked at 64 million
• Most-watched AFC Championship ever
Lions/49ers
• 56.7 million viewers
• Peaked at 58.9 million
• Most-watched NFC Championship since 2012
The undisputed king of TV.
“I would tell you it’s because of the great competition,” the commissioner replied after another laugh. “The competition has been off the charts this year. We’ve had 70% of our games within one score in the fourth quarter. The young stars, the older stars, the amazing performances by teams. You see all that. That’s what fans ultimately love.”
“Having the Taylor Swift effect is also a positive,” Goodell acknowledged candidly. “Both Travis [Kelce] and Taylor are wonderful young people. They seem very happy. She knows great entertainment, and I think that’s why she loves NFL football.”
Goodell ended the response by voicing that “it’s great to have her a part of it,” agreeing that “obviously [her presence] creates a buzz” and a new potential fanbase for the sport.
“Besides Travis, she’s a football fan, and I think that’s great for us,” he admitted.
CLAIMS OF A “SCRIPTED” SUPER BOWL MIGHT BE BOGUS, BUT THE “SWIFT EFFECT” IS LEGIT
According to a recent NFL study, the Kansas City Chiefs have experienced a massive boost in their online following this season. Since September, they have gained an additional 1.75 million followers. This study was conducted by KingCasinoBonus.com, which compared follower counts for each NFL franchise at the start of the 2023-24 season to now. The data was analyzed by adding up the follower numbers from X, Threads, TikTok, and Instagram. The date range for the study was from September 7, 2023, through January 24, 2024.
The Chiefs saw a remarkable 20.67% increase in followers, making them the team with the largest boost according to KingCasinoBonus.com. Following closely behind, the Philadelphia Eagles ranked second with a 17.13% increase, gaining nearly 1.56 million followers.
A spokesperson for KingCasinoBonus.com stated that it is not surprising to see such a significant jump in the Chiefs’ followers this season. If this trend continues, the 2024 Super Bowl, which will take place on February 11, is likely to break records as the most-watched NFL title game of all time.
Michael Obermuller is a sports reporter who covers the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals.