It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that famed singer-songwriter Taylor Swift would be in Episode 3 of ESPN’s Chiefs documentary, “The Kingdom.”
The episode’s title is “In Our Chiefs Era.”
The docuseries takes viewers inside Swift’s first appearance at a Chiefs game as a fan in 2023. It begins with Chiefs players talking about tight end Travis Kelce, who is dating Swift.
“Travis Kelce is probably one of the dopest people I’ve met in my life,” cornerback Trent McDuffie said.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes added: “I think more than anything, is he’s a good person. And just someone that even though you have fame coming your way, you still have to be the true person that you are. And he does everything the right way, and you understand why his teammates love him.”
Defensive lineman Chris Jones had this to say: “Travis Kelce, he’s like the soul of the team. Has the moves. Suave, yeah, Travis has it all. And Taylor Swift.”
And that’s how viewers got to Swift and Kelce going public with their relationship at that Chiefs-Bears game two years ago. Swift confirmed on the New Heights podcast that she simply walked through the Arrowhead Stadium gates with other fans that day.
That’s not her normal routine these days. But the Chiefs didn’t get much advanced warning that the world’s biggest singing star would be at their game in 2023.
Lara Krug, the Chiefs’ Executive Vice President and Chief Media & Marketing Officer, recalled getting a phone call from team president Mark Donovan.
“I remember Mark Donovan, on a Friday afternoon, called me and told me that Taylor Swift was gonna be coming to the game,” Krug said in the docuseries. “I remember getting off the phone and looking out the window, being like, ‘Huh, that’s a big deal.’”
She walked to Donovan’s office, closed the door and offered up a question.
“This isn’t normal, right? Krug asked, per Donovan.
“I’m like, ‘No, Lara, this is not normal.,’” Donovan responded.
The documentary showed the viral clip of Mahomes and Kelce pointing at Swift in an Arrowhead Stadium suite that day.
The documentary makers then interviewed Kelce’s teammates about what they remember from the day.
“You know the locker room,” Jones said. “Taylor Swift? Taylor Swift, for real? Travis, oh my god. We’re like, ‘Oh my god. Travis pulled Taylor Swift.”
Mahomes said: “He told me during the week (but) it was like one of those I gotta see it until I believe it. You definitely felt a buzz. And you could see people in the stadium, like, gravitating towards where she was at there. But at the same time, we have business to handle.”
Drawing in new fans
Krug noted that before Swift started dating Kelce there was a 50-50 split between male and female Chiefs fans. These days it’s up to 57% female.
“I grew up watching football with my dad, and he absolutely loved it,” KC Current co-owner Brittany Mahomes says in the documentary. “And Patrick, I mean, he loves when (daughter) Sterling will sit down and watch football with him.”
ESPN’s Mina Kimes added: “She’s brought more people to the game, and I think that’s amazing. This seems to have, like, turbocharged that demographic shift a little bit. And I love that.”
Two pillars of support
Swift is featured in a later episode when she is on the field after the Chiefs beat the Bills in the AFC Championship Game.
Swift hugged Brittany Mahomes and said: “You kept me so calm the last couple of weeks. I did not know what to do and I just texted Brittany, ‘Tell me it’s going to be OK. Tell me it’s going to be OK.’”
Brittany said in the clip: “It’s always going to be alright.”
Swift then called Brittany Mahomes and Donna Kelce, “My two pillars of support.”