Barstool Sports chief Dave Portnoy is blasting the NFL for “simping” over the appearances of pop star Taylor Swift at its recent games.
Swift is reportedly dating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and so has attended two Chiefs games in a row, sending her fans wild to suddenly tune in to watch the NFL in hopes of catching a glimpse of their favorite singer.
The NFL has been pandering to that sudden new fan base by repeatedly featuring Swift in video of the pop star in the stands. But Portnoy was disgusted by the league’s efforts to spotlight the pop singer.
“This is nuts,” Portnoy wrote on X. “The NFL is simping for Taylor.”
This is nuts. The NFL is simping for Taylor.
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 2, 2023
Portnoy’s post came not long after he reposted a video of Swift entering the stadium for the Chiefs-Jets game that was captioned “Taylor Swift is here.” To that X post, Portnoy added a video of Blake Lively, Ryan Reynalds, and Doug Flutie entering the stadium and asked, “With Taylor?”
Those celebs were not the only ones Swift roped into attending the game. As the New York Post noted, “Actor Hugh Jackman, singer Sabrina Carpenter, and “Game of Thrones” alum Sophie Turner also joined Swift at the game, where the Chiefs defeated the Jets, 23-20.”
Portnoy isn’t wrong. After the Chiefs beat the Jets, the NFL posted an X post reading, “The @Chiefs are now 2-0 with @TaylorSwift13 in attendance.” The post also featured video of Swift in the stands.
The @Chiefs are now 2-0 with @TaylorSwift13 in attendance. @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/5lrvwQjZ1n
— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2023
Front Office Sports also detailed that the NFL featured the singer 17 times on the air during the game.
Portnoy took note of the NFL’s pandering to Swifties with video during the game and wrote that it was “almost too much” for someone who was a supporter of Kelce.
There is almost too much stuff going on for a Swiftie, a football fan and somebody who bet 25k on chiefs and has Kelce on my fantasy team. pic.twitter.com/q0Xy6zlbg9
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 2, 2023
Portnoy also blasted actress Blake Lively for pretending to love the Chiefs as if she were a lifelong fan instead of someone just invited to the game by Taylor Swift.
Facts. Blake Lively out here cheering for the Chiefs like she grew up in Overland Park Missouri https://t.co/fajYQB0RfQ
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 2, 2023
The whole Hollywood contingent had Portnoy asking: Is this real?”
Facts. Blake Lively out here cheering for the Chiefs like she grew up in Overland Park Missouri https://t.co/fajYQB0RfQ
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 2, 2023
Swift has appeared at the last two Chiefs games. She has not said if she intends to appear at the Chiefs-Vikings game in Minnesota on Oct. 8.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston