Networks actually seem to show Taylor Swift the appropriate amount during broadcasts

If you were tuning into last night’s Super Bowl to see pop star Taylor Swift, you likely left disappointed.

That’s because her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, didn’t exactly have a great game. Nor did the entire Chiefs team, for that matter.

Kelce finished with just four receptions for 39 yards on Sunday — a below-average performance fitting of the game’s result. As such, Fox dedicated little time to his uber-famous girlfriend sitting in the stands.

According to Bluesky user Jaydpauley, who clocked the number of times Swift has been shown during each Chiefs playoff broadcast since last season and the duration she was on-screen, Swift was shown just once throughout Sunday’s broadcast and only for seven seconds.

And as Jaydpauley documented, it seems that Swift’s presence on a given broadcast is more-or-less correlated with Kelce’s statistical performance. The pop star was shown for the longest time during the Chiefs’ Wild Card win over the Miami Dolphins last season — a Peacock exclusive game. Kelce had seven receptions, and Swift was shown on the broadcast for 76 seconds.

Swift was shown for 54 seconds each in two of Kelce’s best games during this stretch—the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers and their Divisional Round win over the Texans this season.

But when Kelce didn’t perform his best, like in Sunday’s Super Bowl or the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills, Swift was only shown for seven and 15 seconds, respectivelyvely.

There’s certainly an argument that some people would like to see Swift more often when her boyfriend isn’t performing well. But the networks seem to be exercising restraint here.

It’s fun to see Taylor Swift celebrate after a Travis Kelce touchdown. But when the Chiefs are getting drubbed by the Philadelphia Eagles? There’s really no point in piling on and showing Swift.

But after the craziness of last season, when folks incessantly complained about the amount Swift was showing during broadcasts, it seems like networks have found their sweet spot. Show her when the relevant party (Travis Kelce) is doing something notable. Don’t show her when he’s not.

It’s a simple calculation, but it’s nice to see some actual data to support it.