Pop junkie or not, the Swift-Kelce relationship arc has been an adorable slow burn for the past three years. And what began as the NFL star taking a random (but optimistic) shot at her, attempting to present Swift with a friendship bracelet at one of her Eras Tour concerts back in 2023, has now turned into the fanbase anticipating their nuptial dates this July. The power couple decided to spend Saturday evening at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, not too long before we see them tie the knot. But Swifties seemed to take offence at how their icon was addressed.

Now, for Swift, becoming the center of attention at a sporting event isn’t anything new. She’s been spotted taking over Arrowhead Stadium’s VIP box multiple times with her aura. Whether she’s sitting next to Kelce’s mother, Donna, or alongside Selena Gomez or Blake Lively, the attention is always on Swift. But this time at the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, she grabbed attention for something she didn’t have any control over. As the Grammy winner was hand-in-hand with Kelce, rooting for The Land, Mike Breen, usually super-accurate, messed up, as per the fans.

Just minutes into the game, with the scoreboard still in single digits, the camera panned on the couple. Swift donned a black zip-up jacket, a pair of classic blue jeans, and black heels. Kelce, on the other hand, wore a grey tee and a denim jacket over it, paired with jeans, a red cap, and white sneakers. Breen, known for his famous ‘double bang’, kept it simple and said, “Travis Kelce and his fiancée, here at the game.”

Then, former Cavs star Richard Jefferson added, “Travis and his girlfriend are in the building, that’s always great to see.” Jefferson revealed that he received an invitation to the couple’s wedding while joking about the difference between a plus-one and an and-1. Moments later, reacting to Kelce downing a beer during the game, Jefferson said, “I don’t know if his girlfriend is going to like to see him chugging beers like that.” Now, the jokes weren’t the problem. But people online strongly felt that the broadcasters should have addressed Swift by her own name rather than as Kelce’s better half.

Importantly, though, this isn’t the first time the couple has faced such treatment. During Kansas City Chiefs games, opposing fans often mocked Kelce, calling him ‘Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’. It was mainly due to the singer’s global fandom. Because she is so famous, there also came a time in 2024 when analysts blamed the Grammy winner for ruining Kelce’s football career after a string of underperformances. However, the couple always remained unfazed through all this.

Notably, in 2023, when the Chiefs traveled to Minnesota to take on the Vikings, the Minnesota radio station purchased a billboard and put up the text ‘Beat Taylor’s boyfriend.’ Despite the trolling, the Chiefs ultimately defeated the Vikings 27-20 the next day. Over the years, the power couple has been spotted on numerous dinner dates. Swift was even present to support Kelce at Super Bowl LVIII, arguably the most important moment of his career. They embraced each other with a heartwarming kiss on the field after the Chiefs edged a 25-22 overtime win.

Coming back to the basketball side, though, Kelce has been to Rocket Arena several times. He is from Cleveland Heights, an East Cleveland suburb, and he’s often seen rooting for the Guardians and the Cavs. The Ohio native has had a deep-rooted connection with the NBA franchise. He once admitted that he’d happily swap lives with LeBron James for 48 hours. “I’ve always wanted to play in the NBA,” Kelce said. “[It was] a dream that I always had as a kid.”

So, witnessing his team making a deep playoff run after nearly a decade is a full-circle moment for Kelce. But there’s been a lot of negativity around him and Swift only hours after their NBA courtside appearance. Let’s see how everybody’s reacting.

“Travis with ‘She who shall not be named'”: Swifties aren’t on board with the NBA broadcasters’ comments at Cavs-Knicks Game 3

Richard Jefferson and Mike Breen’s comments sparked an almost immediate reaction online. One fan wrote, “Travis Kelce and his fiancée??? Commentators trolling hard asf with this disrespect lol.” Another fan sarcastically added, “Her name’s Taylor Swift.”

The pop star’s fanbase rarely lets a slight slip in, especially when it comes to her identity. Many took offense, feeling the singer’s introduction was tied solely to Kelce. One fan wrote, “My 14-year-old is very upset that the commentators keep referring to her as his ‘girlfriend.’ She is his f-i-a-n-c-e-e. Lol.”

Now, it is important to note that neither Swift nor Kelce has reacted to the heat on social media. Interestingly, the two share a very similar mindset about online drama. “Social media will always win…it will murder you,” Kelce said years ago. “They don’t matter…Who cares?”

On the other hand, Swift has had paparazzi following her around for years. “I’m just there to support Travis,” she said about being a regular at NFL games in her TIME Magazine profile. “When you say a relationship is public…we don’t care [what people think].”

We’re not saying or implying that the couple doesn’t care at all about their fans, but it is highly unlikely that they’ll respond to something like this online. Apart from the joy of the front-seat viewing experience, their only disappointment from the game would probably be that the Cavaliers lost. Nothing else.

Another fan mocked the broadcasters, writing, “Travis with ‘She who shall not be named’,” highlighting how they avoided mentioning the singer’s name. And this fan, in an attempt to escalate the issue, wrote, “Let me help you find your tongue @abc,” and shared a photo of a fan holding a banner at a Chiefs game that read, “Go Taylor’s boyfriend.” 

The commentators seemed to have leaned into the running pop joke that often reduces Kelce to ‘Taylor’s boyfriend’ and vice versa.

Nevertheless, the Cavaliers don’t seem to be getting much success on their home court, as the Knicks head toward another comfortable 121-108 win, taking a 3-0 lead.