In a uncommon instance of Taylor Swift’s love life making headlines, followers are swooning over the celebrity’s potential new beau, footballer Travis Kelce.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Taylor Swift could also be coming into her soccer period. Over the weekend, the worldwide celebrity was noticed in a soccer stadium, cheering on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, particularly cheering on the tight finish of the Chiefs, Travis Kelce. Swift’s look at Sunday’s recreation and the truth that she and Kelce left the stadium collectively blew up the web. It appeared like everyone had one thing to say concerning the new it couple, even legendary Patriots coach Invoice Belichick.
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BILL BELICHICK: Travis Kelce has had a number of massive catches in his profession.
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BELICHICK: This may be the largest.
CHANG: As for Swifties, properly, they appear to have embraced their queen’s new boo. Gross sales for Kelce’s soccer jersey reportedly skyrocketed since Sunday. And right here to speak about this assembly of two super-fandoms is Nora Pinciotti, workers author for The Ringer and main Swiftie herself. Howdy.
NORA PRINCIOTTI: Howdy. Howdy.
CHANG: OK, Nora, for listeners who will not be following all of the ins and outs of Taylor Swift’s courting life, give us a short timeline of the rumored Swift-Kelce love story. How did this all begin?
PRINCIOTTI: So it began in July, when Travis Kelsey went to one in all Taylor’s Eras Tour reveals when she was in Kansas Metropolis. And he did one thing that a number of Swift followers have performed on the Eras Tour, which is that he made and wore and introduced a friendship bracelet. And he did a humorous factor, which is that he put his telephone quantity…
CHANG: Oh, good transfer.
PRINCIOTTI: …On a friendship bracelet. I do know – very savvy. And he tried to get it to Taylor however was unsuccessful. Then he advised the story of not getting by the inside circle on his podcast together with his brother, who’s one other NFL participant. After which the rumors begin. However that was what seeded some type of communication between the 2 of them that resulted in Taylor accepting Travis’ invitation to point out up at Arrowhead Stadium to see the Chiefs play the Bears on Sunday.
CHANG: In good Chiefs colours. OK, properly, Swifties are famously passionate concerning the pop star. Soccer followers are additionally famously obsessed with their groups. Are you able to simply evaluate these two fandoms for me? Like, is realizing your favourite NFL participant’s stats type of like having the ability to determine all of the little Easter eggs that Taylor is understood to cover in her songs?
PRINCIOTTI: It type of is for 2 teams that I believe in some methods do not determine as having very a lot in frequent with one another. There may be an enthusiasm and a element orientation and an obsessive high quality that positively…
CHANG: I adore it. They’re colliding now.
PRINCIOTTI: Yeah, it is actually nice. There is a couple key variations, although. One is that NFL gamers, for the scope of the NFL writ giant – you understand, it is the largest American skilled sport – the gamers themselves might be comparatively nameless once they play. You may’t actually see their faces. There’s 53 guys on each roster. It isn’t the identical kind of superstardom that you simply discover even in different sports activities and positively not in pop music.
CHANG: I need to know. What concerning the NFL in all of this? – as a result of as we talked about, gross sales for Travis Kelce’s jersey have apparently skyrocketed. And that might very properly be due to Taylor’s followers. And I noticed that most of the post-game questions have been about Taylor Swift’s look on the recreation. The commentators have been all speaking about it. Is Taylor Swift going to be superior or horrible for the NFL and the way forward for soccer? What do you suppose?
PRINCIOTTI: Effectively, I suppose that continues to be to be seen. I do suppose usually, the NFL is extremely enthusiastic about getting a bit of the Taylor highlight. You could possibly already inform over the summer time as a result of the Eras Tour live shows – they have been all in NFL stadiums. And the soccer group that performed in no matter stadium she was visiting – their social media account, their entire operation would bend over backwards to give you one thing that, you understand, allowed them to type of join with the Taylor Swift fan base. So the NFL, which does need to enhance its publicity and enchantment to ladies particularly, I believe is thrilled about this.
CHANG: That’s Nora Princiotti, workers author for The Ringer and host of Each Single Album, a pop music podcast. Thanks a lot for breaking this down for.
PRINCIOTTI: Completely.
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