Both were at the game but the NBC cameras did not pay attention to them

At the last Kansas City Chiefs’ game, the fans in the stands had been anticipating the usual combination of football and star power as usual. But something, or someone, was absent.

Both Taylor Swift, who is a regular Chiefs game attendee cheering on her boyfriend Travis Kelce, and WNBA star Caitlin Clark were at the building. However, NBC cameras largely left them alone, diverging from what has become an NFL broadcast tradition.

The surprise move quickly caught people’s attention online and the unexpected support of sports commentator Skip Bayless.

A different kind of broadcast

NFL broadcasts that included Taylor Swift in the past few years have shown and celebrated celebrity cutaways as much as touchdowns. Swift is watched by fans to see her responses from private boxes, grinning with Brittany Mahomes, or cheering a Kelce big play.

But in that most recent competition, NBC omitted Swift and Clark, despite their X and Facebook followers begging for a glance. The network seemed obsessed with the field only, with no cameos on the sidelines, no reaction shots, no stars.

That editorial decision brought on a wide mix of responses: some appreciated the emphasis on football, while others criticized that the change took away from the current broadcast’s cultural flair.

Finally, they got it right

Sports commentator Skip Bayless, whose incendiary remarks have made headlines in the past with their provocative tone, offered an unusually muted reaction, becoming one of praise.

On Undisputed, Bayless conceded he “breathed a sigh of relief” that NBC never made the broadcast a celebrity sideshow. According to Essentially Sports, Bayless perceived the network’s method as “a step in the right direction“, keeping the integrity of the game and spotlight not aimed at personalities, but players.

The star power dilemma

Both Swift and Clark have become key points for the sport’s focus this year. One is the globe’s most iconic pop sensation and is linked to a football legend, whereas the other one is the public face of a new generation of women’s basketball players. Their impact is way beyond their own sphere, commanding monster ratings and fan followings.

But NBC’s action underscores a growing struggle of modern-day sports television: where is the line between entertainment and the game?

Industry insiders are certain that the network wanted to minimize celebrity focus so it would not be criticized for making their broadcasts “pop culture events” instead of football exhibitions.

A modern shift in sports storytelling

Bayless’s response, ironically enough, is what most old-school fans have had to deal with in modern days, with shows that are too spectacle-oriented. His compliment to NBC indicates that even media personalities look for a fair balance between fandom and attention.

Swift and Clark, on the other hand, will most probably not be bothered. Both continue to generate massive attention whether cameras are present or not.

But perhaps this game can be remembered as a rare exception when the NFL, and its TV viewers, collectively agreed to make football the main show once more.