As the football season gears up, ESPN’s Holly Rowe had some pointed words for those grumbling about Taylor Swift’s presence at Kansas City Chiefs games last season. In a candid interview, Rowe addressed the critics who felt that the pop star’s frequent appearances at NFL games detracted from their cherished sport.
Rowe shared her thoughts during an exclusive conversation with Us Weekly, as part of her partnership with College Colors Day. She emphasized the positive impact Swift had on the NFL, countering the complaints of traditional football fans. “It brought a lot of new fans to the sport,” Rowe said. “Merchandise sales went up, ratings went up. New fans are good for the sport and good for the game. Grumpy, old people who are like, ‘I can’t take a 10-second shot of her.’ Come on.”
Rowe’s perspective carries weight, especially given that she wasn’t initially a Taylor Swift fan. Before Swift’s relationship with Chiefs star Travis Kelce, Rowe’s focus was squarely on football. “I am a football person first,” she admitted. “I was learning about Taylor Swift by watching the NFL and NFL coverage. I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know this thing about her.’ I’m the football person who learns about Taylor Swift through football coverage. I thought it was great.”
As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their 2024-2025 NFL season opener on October 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, Rowe warned fans to brace themselves for more Swift-related coverage, especially when she attends games at Arrowhead Stadium.
“At ESPN, we always talk about wanting to develop fans’ rooting interest,” Rowe explained. “What is your rooting interest? If you turn on a game and you don’t really know anything about either team playing, but you can go, ‘Oh, she’s dating that guy? Wow.’ That might develop a rooting interest and make you tune in for a few seconds longer.”
Rowe continued, “I think it’s healthy. I think it’s cool. All fans are welcome. [Taylor’s] learning about football as she goes. She brought a lot of friends and family to those football games that maybe wouldn’t have come before. As a football person, I’m like, ‘The more, the merrier.’ Keep bringing ‘em because we want to get as many women loving and involved in football as possible.”
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Rowe’s enthusiasm for broadening the fan base isn’t limited to the NFL. As college football kicks off, she’s channeling that same energy into promoting the 20th anniversary of College Colors Day on Friday, August 30. This event, created to foster school spirit among fans, alumni, students, faculty, and staff, encourages everyone to proudly wear their college colors on the same day.
A proud graduate of the University of Utah, Rowe understands the deep connections fostered through collegiate fandom. “I was walking on top of a wall in Dubrovnik this year and I would see people in Alabama shirts, Iowa shirts, and Wake Forest shirts,” Rowe recalled. “It’s this cool thing that we have. It’s like, ‘Who are you? What is your tribe? How can we find each other everywhere across the world?’”
She added, “I love it. It’s such a fun way to celebrate college sports.”
Rowe is set to make her sideline debut this season as part of ABC/ESPN’s top broadcast crew alongside Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. They’ll kick off the college football season when Notre Dame takes on Texas A&M on August 31 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Rowe’s passion for the game, and her open-minded approach to welcoming new fans, sets the tone for what promises to be an exciting season in both college and professional football.
