The NFL considered Taylor Swift's blockbuster Eras Tour when creating the 2024 schedule. While it admitted to this, it specifically denied that it purposefully fixed the dates just so she could watch and support her partner on the Chiefs. This means that the NFL is denying that it allowed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's romance to determine how they created the 2024 NFL schedule.
Three NFL stadiums will host the final nine US shows of Swift's tour, making those venues unavailable for games. However, the league insists that scheduling the Chiefs to play at the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 17, coinciding with Swift's Toronto shows, was purely coincidental.
"We certainly considered the tour dates that hit NFL stadiums," said Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast planning. "I think she's in Miami, maybe New Orleans, Indy. We certainly considered those. One thing we didn't consider, I saw a lot of conspiracy theorists talking about Kansas City at Buffalo in the middle of the season, right when Taylor's playing Toronto. That one definitely did not hit our radar screen," he added.
For context, one can recall how the 2023 NFL season generated significant buzz around music superstar Taylor Swift's relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Broadcasters often focused on Swift and sparking media discussions about her appearances at his games.
As such, the NFL's 2024 schedule was released this week, raising questions about how much the league factored Swift into its scheduling decisions. A claim on The Dan Patrick Show suggested that Taylor Swift's scheduled dates in Toronto impacted a Chiefs' game in Buffalo.
The NFL unveiled its 272-game schedule Wednesday night, marking the culmination of a highly anticipated process. After intensive computer simulations, the schedule was painstakingly designed to satisfy fans and fulfill the requirements of lucrative TV contracts. Its goal is to maximize national viewing while ensuring fairness among all 32 teams.
Officials from the league compared the scheduling procedure to trying to solve a complex jigsaw with endless options and considerations to make. They compared it to trying to choose the best grain of sand on a large beach to highlight how challenging the endeavor was, considering the league's growth to games almost every day of the week.
Swift has concerts lined up for entire weekends at three NFL venues during the season: Miami on Oct. 18-20, New Orleans on Oct. 25-27, and Indianapolis on Nov. 1-3. Consequently, the league anticipated that the Dolphins, Saints, and Colts would play away games on those dates.
The league insists the Chiefs' game in Buffalo on Nov. 17 is merely coincidental.
AFC WEST (all times in ET) pic.twitter.com/mMmBDCrYYx
— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) May 16, 2024
According to Fox Sports, it cannot be denied however, that this game follows Swift's three concerts in Toronto on Nov. 14-16, potentially allowing fans (and perhaps a significant other) to attend both the concerts and the game with just an hour's drive separating the two cities.
ALSO READ: Video of Travis Kelce Heading Backstage For Taylor Swift After Concert Goes Viral: 'Iconic'
