NFL fans are no stranger to the publicity and media circus that comes with Taylor Swift, the girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.
However, that media circus is exactly what the Washington Commanders want to attract as they prepare to move from their current Northwest Stadium in Summerfield, Maryland to the new RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Nothing has been finalized yet in regard to the new 180-acre, $3.7 billion venue that’s still under consideration by the D.C. Council, which is split on the $1 billion in taxpayer money that’s needed to help fund the project.
But Commanders team president Mark Clouse explained on Monday why building the new stadium, which will have an enclosed roof, is a win for the city, and his reasoning involves the economic windfall that typically follows when Swift comes to town.
Taylor Swift at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY
“There is a roof on the stadium, and I think that’s going to enable us to bring 30-40 world-class events — I mean, we will be the only roofed facility on this side of the mid-Atlantic,” Clouse said.
“So, whether that’s Taylor Swift or the Final Four, or any WWE wrestling fans out there, ‘WrestleMania’ could come, but we are going to be able to host everything that’s in the city on a national stage, and because of that roof, it gives us a chance to create a pipeline of jobs in development.”
Though Clouse’s remarks have some merit—Swift’s two-year long “Eras Tour” generated an estimated $5 billion in direct spending in cities the tour took place—Commanders fans seemed to take exception to the team prioritizing attracting a Swift show over wanting to provide their fans with the best experience on Sundays.
“Lmao Taylor Swift is one of the reason smh how about you want to protect (Jayden) Daniels from cold weather related injuries,” one fan quipped.
“Why give a crap about Swift? The roof should be all about the comfort of Commanders fans,” another fan scoffed.
“DC does not want Taylor Swift,” a third fan wrote.
“Yeah, they just had to ruin it by throwing in Taylor Swift 😂😭” one user stated.
“Taylor Swift. LOL. What millennial [expletive] tweeted this?” asked another user.
“Major events, and says Taylor Swift 😭,” one fan replied.
“Taylor Swift ?? She won't be relevant by the time it's in place......” another user commented.
