Chiefs president Mark Donovan was quick to put an authentic sticker on Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s relationship when he was asked about her impact on the growth of the team’s fan base.
During a Wednesday appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Donovan declared that the couple’s romance is completely legitimate even if it’s paid dividends for the Chiefs organization.
“I’d love to say that it was a marketing strategy, but it is an authentic relationship,” Donovan said. “And we’re happy to have it, and it’s been nothing but good for us.”
It came after CNBC host asked if Donovan could have predicted the NFL’s growth after the Chiefs tight end and the mega-popstar began dating last summer.
“I think the best thing I can say about the whole relationship and the impact it’s had on us is, Taylor Swift is an authentic member of the Kansas City Chiefs kingdom,” Donovan said. “She’s an authentic fan and that matters to our fans and our fan base and to matters to us and we try to respect that.”
Some people have theorized online that Kelce and Swift’s whirlwind romance was a product of a fabricated publicity stunt.
“Taylor Swift is an authentic member of Chiefs Kingdom” – Chiefs President Mark Donovan pic.twitter.com/3MdezDHNvp
— t.raceyy🩵🌊 (@raceyy13surf) November 20, 2024
In September, Kelce’s reps at Full Scope PR vehemently denied an unverified document with the company’s namesake on the letterhead, that suggested their relationship was was fake.
At the time, Full Scope said the document is “entirely false and fabricated and [was] not created, issued or authorized by this agency,” per TMZ. “We have engaged our legal team to initiate proceedings against the individuals or entities responsible for the unlawful and injurious forgery of documents.”
That wasn’t the first time Donovan made it clear that Swift is an authentic Chiefs fan.
“We’ve adopted her in Chiefs Kingdom. Now, with Taylor, she brings a lot with her and it’s pretty valuable targeted demographic when you look at the makeup of her fanbase,” Donovan said in a September interview with Front Office Sports.
At the time, he explained how the organization took steps to respect Swift and the couple’s privacy.
