NFL responds to Taylor Swift schedule conspiracy theory
Sep 24, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Taylor Swift reacts while watching the Kansas City Chiefs vs Chicago Bears game during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL on Thursday responded to a conspiracy theory that gained some traction regarding the 2024 schedule, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Taylor Swift.
The Chiefs’ visit to Buffalo to play the Bills was one of the more highly-anticipated games of the season, and it was announced that it would be played on Nov. 17 in Buffalo when the league released the regular season schedule on Wednesday. Fans quickly took note of one odd coincidence: Taylor Swift has three concert dates in nearby Toronto that weekend, though she just so happens to have a free Sunday.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto the weekend of the Bills vs. Chiefs game in Orchard Park. She has shows Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, but not Sunday.
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) May 15, 2024
Swift is, of course, dating Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, a relationship that the NFL very eagerly exploited last season. Would the league be above setting up the schedule to ensure she would have an easy trip to Buffalo to see Kelce play one day after her last Toronto show? Some people certainly thought they would not be.
NFL VP of broadcast planning Mike North denied that was the case, though. On Thursday, he admitted that the league had to take Swift’s touring schedule into account, but only because she has several NFL stadium dates taking place during the season. The scheduling of the Chiefs-Bills game as it related to her Toronto shows, he insisted, was purely coincidental.
NFL's Mike North said the league had to account for Taylor Swift in its scheduling, with her having NFL stadium dates in Miami, New Orleans and Indy. He said no consideration was made to have Chiefs at Bills close to her concert date in Toronto, despite conspiracy theories.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 16, 2024
No, it will not quiet the conspiracy theorists, but North is probably telling the truth. Swift has the resources to go to whichever games she wants if she has a free Sunday, regardless of her touring schedule. After all, she managed to fly from Japan to attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Even a cross-country flight is tame by comparison.
For what it’s worth, Swift has no tour dates scheduled for September. We probably have a pretty good chance of seeing her at the season opener, which the league would no doubt love.