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Matt Stevens, a Tradition reporter for The New York Occasions, is unabashedly a “Swiftie.” For years, a portrait of her hung in his house. In 2012, when he labored for The Los Angeles Occasions, Stevens was even chosen as a finalist in a nationwide “largest fan” contest that drew 1000’s of purposes.
Final month Swift made a shock look at an N.F.L. recreation between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Chicago Bears, cheering from a luxurious suite alongside Donna Kelce, the mom of Travis Kelce, Kansas Metropolis’s All-Professional tight finish. When the decision got here to cowl the budding situationship between Swift, one among pop music’s largest stars, and Kelce, who has gained two Tremendous Bowls, Stevens jumped on the likelihood.
“It was a collision between two of the most important forces in American media: Taylor Swift and soccer,” he mentioned of the next Sunday evening recreation on Oct. 1 between the Chiefs and the Jets, which Swift additionally attended. “You couldn’t have written it any higher.”
Whereas Stevens delved into the breathless protection of Swift’s reactions as she watched the sport, Emmanuel Morgan, a fellow reporter, tuned into the sport at a bar with a Taylor Swift fan new to soccer.
“The problem for us was to put in writing tales that not solely seize the second however add to it,” mentioned Morgan, who reported on the N.F.L. for the Sports activities desk up till final month, when he joined Tradition to cowl the intersection of the 2 beats.
The Occasions doesn’t usually report on the romances of celebrities, however right here was a cultural second of surprising significance: Swift’s songwriting famously pulls immediately from her relationships. And the well-timed publicity increase for each people — Swift has a brand new live performance movie popping out this week, and Kelce is within the second half of a Corridor of Fame-caliber profession — raised questions in regards to the legitimacy of the connection.
In a video name, Stevens and Morgan mentioned why thousands and thousands of persons are so invested within the saga. In addition they — agonizingly, on Stevens’s half — selected their favourite Swift music. Learn the edited dialog under.
Emmanuel, how a lot do you know about Taylor Swift earlier than this story? And Matt, how a lot do you know about soccer?
MORGAN I used to be not one among her largest followers, however I had a respect for her, and I’ve plenty of mates who’re followers.
STEVENS After I was an intern at The Los Angeles Occasions, I used to be a sports activities reporter. So I’ve actually loved writing about this story line as a result of it meshes my two favourite pursuits: Taylor Swift and soccer.
Matt, you’re a self-described superfan of Swift. Your even met her backstage at a live performance in 2015. What jumped out to you about her?
STEVENS I had written a first-person essay about my fandom for The Los Angeles Occasions, which then included a photograph of me with a cardboard cutout of Taylor. I’ll all the time bear in mind Taylor striding down the again hallway of Staples Heart, calling out to me, “Cardboard cutout!” Once you hang around together with her, it looks as if she is aware of you, which is without doubt one of the issues her followers love. Additionally it is true that Taylor Swift is extraordinarily, extraordinarily tall.
Emmanuel, you lined the N.F.L. till not too long ago. What stands out about Kelce out of your interactions with him?
MORGAN He’s one of many extra open N.F.L. gamers. He’s not going to present you cliché quotes when he talks on the podium or at his locker after video games.
Why is The Occasions protecting this story?
STEVENS It’s arduous to disregard a second that’s as monocultural as this Swift-Kelce collision. All people’s speaking about it, so for us to not acknowledge it appears negligent.
MORGAN The important thing was to present audiences the tales they wished however in a approach that went past simply, “Are they or are they not relationship?”
Do you get the impression that it’s a actual relationship?
STEVENS It definitely has each publicity and public relations in thoughts. However each Taylor and Travis are well-known and doubtless don’t want it. Swift is on a break from the worldwide leg of her tour and has a film popping out this month, which was promoted twice in commercials in the course of the Chiefs-Jets recreation. I don’t wish to speculate about whether or not or not they’re relationship — that’s a private matter. However I do suppose they’re conscious that the cross-promotion is useful.
Can the seemingly insatiable curiosity on this story maintain itself?
STEVENS Probably the most urgent second was when Taylor Swift appeared within the sky field towards the Bears — everybody was stunned. Then the story carried on in the course of the Sunday Night time Soccer recreation, and now the air is out of the sails a bit. We all know that Taylor goes to renew her Eras tour quickly, so I’m undecided the place the story will go.
Are you planning to cowl developments of their relationship?
STEVENS There was a New York Submit report in regards to the N.F.L. nudging TV stations to present Taylor further consideration. And so there are definitely accountability items we should wish to untangle round who’s pulling the strings, how a lot affect Taylor has, and why the N.F.L. is so keen on courting her.
MORGAN We wish to proceed a few of that longer-term reporting, however we didn’t cowl the Chiefs recreation over the weekend.
Have we reached the purpose of saturation?
STEVENS In the course of the Sunday Night time Soccer recreation towards the Jets there was, at one level, a social media development in pop music round #EnoughTaylorSwift. One of many issues that I’m questioning is that if there may be an oversaturation level and if there may be going to begin to be blowback.
Closing query: What’s the finest Taylor Swift music?
MORGAN “Wildest Desires.” I’m fundamental, although.
STEVENS After I go to a marriage and the D.J. is amenable, I all the time request “22.”
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