Original Article: Forbes, by Adam Zagoria, October 5th, 2023

How far will the NFL go to milk the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance?

The answer, it seems, is pretty far.

The New York Post reported that the NFL pressured its television partners to run free promotional ads for Swift’s upcoming film during recent NFL games, adding that NBC and ESPN “acquiesced” and that the 30-second ads in the “million-dollar neighborhood” during were “paid for.”

“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert film will be released in theaters on Oct. 13.

“It just shows how hard [the NFL] is working to turn Swifties into NFL fans,” Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing pundit and Creative Director at Pinnacle Advertising in San Francisco, told me.

“Milking the Swift-Kelce romance may not thrill hardcore football fans, but it’s not going to keep them from watching. It’s all about building the fan base, and keeping Swift close to the game as long as possible—with a future [Super Bowl] halftime show in the cards.”

Usher is scheduled to headline the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show in Las Vegas, and Dorfman pointed out that Swift is scheduled to give a concert the night before, on Feb. 10, in Tokyo, “but maybe Swift drops in for a surprise duet?”

He added that “it’s more likely [Swift] headlines in 2025 or ‘26.”

John Kosner, a veteran of sports media, said he thinks the NFL is targeting Swift for the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026.

“This is where we are today: the NFL is uniquely powerful; Taylor Swift is uniquely powerful,” he said. “Everyone is advantaging themselves. Ultimately Taylor will do the NFL halftime show but only when she is ready. I’ve circled Super Bowl LX in San Francisco in 2026.

“Since Apple Music is now the halftime sponsor, not Pepsi, there is not a (Pepsi/Diet Coke) advertising conflict precluding this from happening. Getting the networks to run a free promo is not unheard of and not necessarily that big a deal (the NFL probably makes the point that Taylor is drawing new attention from female fans and that is good for everyone). I disagree with others who pooh pooh her impact; I think Taylor does make a ratings difference.”

Swift has attended the last two Chiefs games while supporting her beau Kelce, the first one in Kansas City where he scored a touchdown in a 41-10 blowout of the Bears, and the second in Sunday night’s 23-20 win over the Jets at Met Life Stadium.

The romance between the world’s biggest pop star and the NFL’s best tight end has been the story of the league this season — and possibly the biggest story in sports.

Her attendance at the games has also driven interest in the NFL.

Sunday’s game was the most watched Sunday show since the Super Bowl—in part thanks to the 53% increase in viewership among girls 12 to 17—and after the September 24 game she attended in Kansas City, Kelce’s jersey sales increased 400% as Swifties began to support him.

According to a Morning Consult survey from earlier this year, more than half of U.S. adults say they’re Taylor Swift fans. Some 53% of U.S. adults said they were fans of Swift, and 16% identified themselves as “avid” fans of the star.

Still, the backlash has also been evident.

As my Forbes colleague Molly Bohanon pointed out, “Giants fans booed a Taylor Swift ad that came on in the stadium before Monday night’s game, and some on social media have said the focus on Swift is ‘already getting ridiculous’ after NBC cut to her suite after the Chief’s first touchdown Sunday.”

Meantime, in his podcast Wednesday, Kelce said he thinks the NFL is “overdoing it a little bit” in it terms of its coverage of Swift, but he gave the league the benefit of the doubt, adding, “I think they’re just trying to have fun with it.”

The Chiefs next game is Sunday against the Vikings in Minnesota on CBS, and all eyes will be on a) whether Swift attends; and b) whether CBS runs any promo ads for her film.

The Philadelphia Eagles play the Chiefs Nov. 20 in Kansas City and five-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay of the Eagles has already chimed in, saying he doesn’t want Swift at the game.

“She might not miss a game this year,” he said on the “Big Game Slay” podcast. “And it looks like they’re 2-0 with her. If we play her... Taylor, do not come to the game.

“Do. Not. Come. To. The. Game,” he repeated. “Cause you seem to bring the energy of winning. So, do not come to that game.”