One of the most well-known faces to appear on the sidelines this upcoming NFL season is none other than Taylor Swift, who many anticipate will support boyfriend Travis Kelce's at the start of the Chiefs 2024-25 campaign.
However, rumors recently put the pop-star's attendance at Arrowhead into question, as several social media posts alleged that Swift was banned from attending Kansas City's games for the foreseeable future.
The discourse online concerned with barring Swift from Chiefs contests certainly shocked those who came across the reports, but there are clear reasons why the news never took hold in mainstream media.
Here's everything to know about whether Swift is banned from Chiefs games, including debunking the rumor that the pop star can't watch Kelce in Kansas City.
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Is Taylor Swift banned from Chiefs games?
The rumor that Swift is banned from Chiefs games for the upcoming season can be traced back to a Facebook post from Aug. 23, featuring side-by-side images of team CEO Clark Hunt and the pop star.
The post's caption reads: “JUST IN: Fox News has Just Reported that Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has officially banned pop superstar Taylor Swift from attending any future Chiefs games, Calling her ‘Chiefs’ BIGGEST DISTRACTION. This decision came on the heels of the Chiefs' disappointing defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason game.”
The original post was shared more than 100 times the first week it was up as similar posts appeared on Facebook and Threads.
A week later, a Fox News spokesperson told USA TODAY the story "was never reported on FOX News Channel," and there is no such report on the Fox News' website either. Additionally, USA TODAY found no credible reports from other news outlets or the Chiefs, including no statement from Hunt, to confirm the post's claim.
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Hunt has been with the Chiefs in an executive role since 2005, serving as the team's chairman and CEO since 2010. And, he has been a vocal supporter of Swift's relationship with the team's Pro Bowl tight end throughout the past year.
In an interview with Bloomberg in August, Hunt said that the pop star's involvement with the team has helped boost its fan base by 30 percent, including a huge bump in its female presence.
“I always want to point out how happy I am for Taylor and Travis in the relationship. I’ve seen them together and they make a fantastic couple,” Hunt said, dubbing Swift a member of "Chiefs Kingdom."
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Chiefs 2024 schedule
Swift's next Era Tour date isn't until Oct. 18, so there's a good chance she'll be in attendance at some of Kelce's earlier regular season matchups. The Chiefs kick off Week 1 on Thursday against Baltimore in an AFC Championship Game rematch.
Here's a look at Kansas City's schedule for the upcoming season.
Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
1 | Sept. 5 (Thu.) | vs. Ravens | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
2 | Sept. 15 | at Bengals | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
3 | Sept. 22 | at Falcons | 8:20 p.m.. | NBC |
4 | Sept. 29 | at Chargers | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
5 | Oct. 7 (Mon.) | vs. Saints | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
6 | Bye week | ------------- | ------------- | ------------------ |
7 | Oct. 20 | at 49ers | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
8 | Oct. 27 | at Raiders | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
9 | Nov. 4 (Mon.) | vs. Buccaneers | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
10 | Nov. 10 | vs. Broncos | 1 p.m. | CBS |
11 | Nov. 17 | at Bills | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
12 | Nov. 24 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS |
13 | Nov. 29 (Fri.) | vs. Raiders | 3 p.m. | Amazon Prime |
14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Chargers | 8:20 pm. | NBC |
15 | Dec. 15 | at Browns | 1 p.m. | CBS |
16 | Dec. 21 (Sat.) | vs. Texans | 1 p.m. | NBC |
17 | Dec. 25 (Wed) | at Steelers | 1 p.m. | Netflix |
18 | TBD | at Broncos | TBD | TBD |