The last week of the London NFL games recently wrapped up with a matchup between the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fans from all over the world were seen heading towards Wembley Stadium, dressed in the colours of their favourite NFL team. Passionate fans in good spirits and colourful clothing were looking forward to a sold-out event in Wembley Stadium. Sounds familiar?
I think I’ve seen this film before on August 17th– the last show of the European leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in London. The audience was chanting, singing and cheering for the person who inspires them, just like your regular NFL fan does. As both a Swiftie and American football fan myself, I was wondering why there seems to be such a fear of contact between both fan bases, especially when they have so much in common.
Luckily, Taylor Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has helped bridge that gap. For those Swifties who are still feeling reserved or don’t know where to start when it comes to American football, I will provide you with an introduction that will aim to showcase what is so appealing about American Football (except for Mr. Kelce himself).
Firstly, contrary to what you might think, American football is not just an aggressive contact sport. There is a strategic aspect of planning and execution that is no less important than physicality. Think of it as a physical game of chess with human pieces. In football one ‘chess move’ is called a “play”, and each team has a so-called “playbook”, where they store hundreds of these. For each game, a team prepares between 90 and 120 different plays. As you can see, the mental load is not to be underestimated, especially if we take a look at a “play call”, which is how the different plays are being communicated to the players on the field: “Hop to Gun Blue King Trips Right Tear 52 Sway All Go Special X-Shallow Cross H-Wide.” Almost as cryptic as some of Taylor’s lyrics, right?
Another fascinating aspect is the great intermingling of tradition and culture that the NFL manages to create – and that is where we as Swifties come in. Especially in the US, American football is closely connected to most family traditions as there are matches on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, the close connection between NFL games and family holidays is far from the only way American football brings people together.
The Super Bowl halftime show has become a staple of American pop culture where only the biggest artists perform, many for whom it is a career-defining moment. Celebrities are regular attendees at games resulting in various crossovers between pop culture and the sport with spillover effects. Taylor Swift’s attendance at Kansas City Chiefs regular season games increased female viewership, allowing many fathers and daughters to bond over something new.
Unfortunately, there won’t be another NFL game in London until next year, but if you want to learn more about American football, the University has its very own team – The Oxford Lancers! They have 8 regular season games (starting on Sunday, November 10th) playing against other universities, even Cambridge in the Varsity Bowl. You probably will not find Taylor Swift in attendance but might be able to relate to her passion for supporting her boyfriend at his games. Taylor Swift will probably not be there but at least you get to try the best version of football.
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