By Jordan Dallimore, Staff Writer
The Super Bowl is not just a regular football game; it’s a cultural event, watched by over a hundred million people around the world. Every aspect of it, from the iconic halftime show, to the commercials and to the game itself, is all heavily criticized. This year, one of the most talked about aspects of the Super Bowl was Taylor Swift. This was new.
Taylor Swift is undeniably one of the biggest pop stars at the moment. Selling out arenas and stadiums worldwide due to her massive fan base known as the “Swifties.” She also has a bunch of hit songs that many of us sing along to, whether we are a fan or not. However, she has been the topic of controversy due to her presence at her boyfriend’s, Travis Kelce, football games. Many football fans have claimed that she has ruined the urge to watch any of the games and that they will not watch if she is constantly shown.
The Super Bowl is a highly anticipated event every year. This year’s game was the most watched Super Bowl of all time. However, some fans argued that Taylor received an excessive amount of attention, overshadowing the game itself. It could have even been a tactic by the NFL to gain more viewers.
On one hand, Taylor Swift’s attendance brought a new level of excitement to the Super Bowl that was unmatched by many other celebrities in attendance. The various articles leading up to the event were dominated by excitement surrounding her appearance. Was she going to show up with a concert the day before? Will she be able to make it?
However, there is a definite line between generating a little buzz and overshadowing the main event. Some fans felt that the excessive attention on Taylor Swift throughout the game was the main focus and took away from the overall Super Bowl experience. Football enthusiasts who were more interested in the game itself may have felt annoyed by the attention given to one person. Other celebrities were shown at the beginning, but with her boyfriend playing in the biggest game of the year, she was shown a lot more.
In terms of publicity for the game, Taylor Swift’s attendance had a positive effect. Having millions of fans around the world allowed for people who don’t like football to watch the event. The Super Bowl usually has millions of people watching, but due to the increase of viewers in regular season games, there’s no doubt that she didn’t bring in those same people who don’t usually watch these games. The increase in viewership can be seen as a win for the NFL and its advertisers.
On the other hand, there is a negative effect her attendance brought. Focusing too much on a celebrity can push away traditional football fans who are more interested in the game itself. If fans feel like the Super Bowl is becoming more about entertainment and celebrities, the NFL could lose its most loyal customers from watching future events. However, that’s the whole point of the Super Bowl. It was never just a game. It’s an event, with ads costing millions of dollars, a halftime show featuring the biggest singers and seats that cost more than people make in a year.
The question of whether Taylor Swift’s attendance at the Super Bowl was “too much” is subjective. It depends on what perspective you have; are you a traditional fan or a Swiftie? While her presence brought extra national attention to the event, there is a risk of overshadowing what the majority of people are there for. In future events, it is important for the NFL to have a balance between showing Taylor Swift and sports in order to allow fans of both to enjoy the event.
