Taylor Swift Barely A Spotlight Stealer at Super Bowl Only 54 Seconds
The Super Bowl is America’s biggest sports event, attracting millions of viewers every year. But this year, there was another reason for the hype. Taylor Swift, the pop superstar and the girlfriend of Travis Kelce, the star tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Swift, who was on tour in Japan, flew to Las Vegas to attend the game and support her beau. She watched the game from a luxury suite. Other celebrities, such as Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Cara Delevingne, and Keleigh Teller, were there too. She also wore a necklace and boots with the number 87, Kelce’s jersey number, showing her loyalty and affection.
Taylor Swift was shown for less than 1% of the entire Super Bowl broadcast 👀
(h/t: u/JPAnalyst/Reddit) PIC.TWITTER.COM/KPGGRJPBRV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) FEBRUARY 12, 2024
Many fans and media outlets were curious to see how much attention Swift would get from the cameras during the broadcast. Some football fans had expressed concerns that Swift would distract from the game. Others hoped that she would attract new viewers, especially young women who might not be familiar with football. This is due to her fame and influence.
However, to the surprise of many, Swift was barely a spotlight stealer during the Super Bowl. A Reddit user tracked the broadcast. Swift was only shown for a total of 54 seconds. This was across 12 separate cuts, throughout the four-hour and eight-minute game. This means that she was on screen for less than 1% of the entire broadcast time.
Some of Swift’s fans were disappointed by the lack of airtime. Others were happy to see her celebrate with Kelce on the field after the Chiefs won the game by 25–22. Some media outlets and social media users also found the minimal airtime surprising or humorous. This was considering the pre-game buzz about Swift’s attendance.
The Super Bowl LVIII had low screen time, but it still drew record-breaking viewership. An estimated 200 million viewers tuned in at some point. This suggests that any potential “Taylor Swift effect” on viewership might be difficult to isolate definitively.
The event prompts intriguing questions about the influence of celebrities in big sports gatherings. It also raises questions about the balance between entertainment and sports coverage in mainstream media. Some might argue that celebrities add glamour and excitement to the game. Others might contend that they take away from the focus and integrity of the sport. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
