Getty Why the NFL schedule-makers took Taylor Swift's 2024 concert performances into account.
A misleading Kansas City Chiefs report caught fire on social media on May 16, and it revolved around Taylor Swift and the NFL schedule makers.
“NEWS: The NFL took Taylor Swift’s concert scheduling into account when making the 2024 schedule, NFL VP of Broadcast Planning Mike North says,” an X account called MLFootball tweeted to its 195,000 followers.
Needless to say, the tweet caught the attention of many NFL fans, with some arguing the league was showing preferential treatment toward Kansas City. The post garnered almost 800,000 views by late afternoon on May 16. Before that, Pete Sweeney of SB Nation’s Arrowhead Pride had taken notice.
Arrowhead Pride Chiefs media member Pete Sweeney quickly took notice.
“I was on this call,” Sweeney weighed in, providing key context that debunked the scheduling rumor.
“North meant in terms of certain stadiums she is holding concerts in such as Miami. Nothing to do with the Chiefs,” he explained, adding: “These accounts, man.”
Arrowhead Live also commented on a similar clarification under MLFootball’s original post.
“The fact that people don’t realize it’s because she’s already got concerts planned in NFL stadiums is [expletive] hilarious,” they replied. “For example, Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday Oct 20…so the [Miami] Dolphins play in Indianapolis that week. All major events under contract are taken into account when planning NFL schedules. It’s not so she can attend Chiefs games😂😂.”
While MLFootball’s report was technically factual, it appeared to be purposefully misleading — yet another modern-day example of fans having to double-check the source before believing a story.
NFL Insider Confirms Schedule Makers Did Not Plan Chiefs Games Around Taylor Swift’s Tour Dates
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer confirmed Sweeney’s reporting after, he said, he talked to NFL vice president of Onnie Bose.
“I did want to ask whether the Taylor Swift tour would impact anything,” Breer wrote. “Bose laughed and said, off memory, that Swift’s dates in New Orleans, Indianapolis and Miami were taken into account, but no more so than any other set of concerts in the past.”
Breer also asked whether the Chiefs’ game in Buffalo on November 17 coincided with a Swift tour date in nearby Toronto, something “The Dan Patrick Show” claimed on May 16 was “not an accident.”
Dan thinks it’s no coincidence that the #Chiefs are scheduled to play in Buffalo the week that Taylor Swift is performing in Toronto.
Breer reported: “Swift does happen to be in Toronto the weekend the Chiefs play 90 minutes away in Buffalo, but Bose swore, when I followed up via text, that wasn’t intentional.”
“Definitely not,” Bose said, according to Breer. “Not even on my radar, and I’m guessing not on the radar of our team (although we have several Swifties in the broadcast department).”
“They, of course, had a lot of other things to worry about,” Breer wrote.
Chiefs Schedule Is as Daunting as Ever in 2024
The Chiefs never have an easy schedule on paper. Since Patrick Mahomes II took over at quarterback, they always play the first-place team in every AFC division from the previous year — being that they have not lost the western title.
They’re also one of the most appealing franchises for TV ratings and are often forced into several primetime windows and dates. Like Christmas Day and Black Friday, for example.
The 2024 schedule has all of that included, and it’s daunting as ever for the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
After an AFC championship rematch on opening night versus the Baltimore Ravens (TNF), the Chiefs face Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. Then they go on the road to Atlanta to face Kirk Cousins’ new-look Falcons (SNF).
You might say that things ease up slightly in Week 4, visiting the rebuilding Los Angeles Chargers ahead of a home game with the New Orleans Saints (MNF) and an early bye week.
Week 7 tosses KC right back into the fire, however, with a Super Bowl rematch against the San Francisco 49ers in California. The Chiefs then head to Las Vegas before hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (MNF) and Denver Broncos.
The aforementioned Buffalo outing will then headline Week 11. Followed by a road matchup with the Carolina Panthers, home versus the Raiders (Black Friday) and Chargers (SNF), and then back on the road in Cleveland.
The 2024 campaign finishes with a Saturday outing against the Houston Texans, Christmas in Pittsburgh (on a Wednesday), and game two in Denver to close things out.