NFL VP of Broadcast Planning says Taylor Swift didn’t impact 2024 regular-season schedule

Despite Taylor Swift having a big impact on the NFL during the 2023 season, she did not impact the 2024 schedule. Mike North, the NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning, appeared on The Adam Schefter Podcast and was asked if Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, influenced the schedule for the sake of ratings.

“She had a bigger influence on my niece Gabby’s bat mitzvah last weekend than she did on our schedule,” North said. “We know she’s touring still. There’s a tour date in Miami and Indianapolis and New Orleans, something like that. When those teams submitted their scheduling forms at the start, they said ‘Hey, here’s everything we want, open at home, close at home, midseason, bye, don’t give us a three-time road trip,’ things they normally say.”

North also said that teams would request not to have a home game scheduled on the same day as a Swift concert. “We tried to accommodate whether it’s Taylor Swift or Green Day or Billy Joel or Ed Sheeran or Pink or Lady Gaga or anybody else on tour,” he continued. “We know these buildings are used for things other than the NFL football.”

North added: “To the extent that the Dolphins, the Saints and the Colts each had one weekend this year where they hoped to be on the road or bye, yes Taylor Swift impacted the NFL schedule. Did the NFL strategically try to schedule Chiefs games near her tour dates so she could attend? I promise you we did not.”

Roger Goodell shares thoughts on Taylor Swift’s impact on NFL

Swift attended more than a handful of Chiefs games last season including the Super Bowl in February. She will likely attend the same amount of games this fall, including the opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5 which will air on NBC.

In April, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and talked about the impact Swift has made on the NFL.

“There’s some things you can control or not control. Anybody who’s interested in the NFL, that’s good for me and good for everybody involved in the NFL,” Goodell explained. “You get somebody with the kind of exposure and the following like Taylor Swift, who does love football, I’ve known her for 15 years. I first met her in New Orleans.

“She loves the game, so that’s great for us,” Goodell continued. “Take the relationship out of it, which if they’re happy, I’m happy.”