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When Justin Timberlake performed during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2018, I joked with everyone that they were going to try and play football during the Justin Timberlake concert. I’ve been making the same joke this year because one of my good friends loves Usher (the 2024 Super Bowl halftime entertainment) just about as much as I love JT.

However, this year, with the possibility of the Kansas City Chiefs making the big game, there’s a whole new level of celebrity surrounding football.

In case you’ve been under a rock this NFL season, that one football player (Travis Kelce) is dating that one pop star (Taylor Swift). It has taken the NFL by storm and it’s hard to focus on the actual coaches and players with all the attention on what the players are wearing when they walk from the bus to the stadium or who they are dating.

As I wrote a few months ago in this space, I’m a fan of Taylor Swift and what she represents for women and for people making their own path. However, the NFL’s dependence on her and other celebrities to gain fans and viewership is taking away from the game.

Think about when you go to a concert or a game or other event. Everyone has their phones handy, and so much content goes straight to the Internet. You don’t even really have to go to a game anymore because you can catch all the fashion and touchdown dances on Instagram.

I hope that sports fans can get back to focusing on the sports. Yes, athletes make a lot of money for endorsements and for their performance, but the game still needs to be the primary focus.

­— Annie Wooden