Will Taylor Swift really do the 2025 Super Bowl half-time show? Now an NFL regular thanks to BF Travis Kelce, rumours abound she’ll follow Usher – but the Eras Tour star may already be too big for it

Oct 17 , 2023

Taylor Swift has been making bank with her Eras Tour, but will she perform at the Super Bowl half-time show anytime soon? Photo: TNS

Taylor Swift seems like a no-brainer for the Super Bowl halftime show.

The 33-year-old pop star is one of the biggest names in the music industry, with an arsenal of hit songs and millions of album sales to her name. She’s also one of the most sought-after performers; if the Eras Tour has proven anything, it’s that Swift has no problem captivating a stadium full of people.

Travis Kelce’s mum Donna and Taylor Swift were spotted together during the game between the Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs in Missouri on September 24. Photo: TNS

Indeed, recent events have sparked questions about Swift’s headlining potential. During her current tour hiatus, Swift has been spotted at several football games, cheering on love interest, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

The NFL has wholeheartedly embraced Swift’s attendance, promoting her music on social media and frequently cutting to her reactions during live broadcasts. She’s had a demonstrable effect on the NFL’s female and Gen Z viewership.

A Miami Dolphins fan displays a “Where is Taylor Swift” sign during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, in Miami Gardens, Florida, on October 15. Photo: AP Photo

According to a report from the New York Post, the NFL even asked its networks – NBC, ESPN, Fox and CBS – to air commercials for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour completely free of charge, as an attempt to secure her continued support.

“TV executives speculated that the NFL’s goal with Swift is the Super Bowl halftime show, which she has never done,” the Post reported.

So why hasn’t Swift joined the ranks of past headliners like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga – and could her recent connection to the NFL indicate a change of heart? We break down all the information we have so far:

1. Swift has reportedly declined the offer multiple times

Taylor Swift has been increasing female and Gen Z viewership of NFL games since she began showing up at them for new boyfriend Travis Kelce. Photo: AP

For most of Swift’s career, the Super Bowl halftime show was sponsored by Pepsi, which may have posed a contractual issue. In 2013, the same year that Pepsi launched its partnership with the NFL, Swift signed a “long-term partnership” with its rival brand Coca-Cola.

In 2022, Apple Music took over as the halftime show’s key sponsor. This announcement thrilled Swifties, who theorised that Swift would now be free to take the stage. Instead, Rihanna was announced as the 2023 headliner. According to TMZ, Swift was offered the coveted spot, but declined to focus on re-recording her first six albums.

Musician Usher is set to headline the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show. Photo: Chanel

More recently, King of R&B Usher was confirmed as the 2024 headliner. Once again, Swift reportedly turned down the offer, this time to focus on her Eras Tour; she’s scheduled to perform in Tokyo on February 11, 2024, just one day before the Super Bowl will be played in Las Vegas.

2. It’s unlikely that Swift will perform at the Super Bowl until her Taylor’s Version series is complete

Taylor Swift is currently re-recording all of her albums to gain control of the rights to her music. Photo: Getty Images

As previously noted, Swift is in the process of re-recording her first six albums to reclaim control of her music. She is currently halfway done with this project, having released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) in 2021, followed by Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) earlier this year.

Swift is set to release 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on October 27, which only leaves Reputation and her self-titled debut album.

It’s possible that Swift will agree to headline the Super Bowl halftime show after all these albums have been released, but probably not before.

Rihanna performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII halftime show in Arizona on February 12. Photo: AFP

Although halftime performers usually don’t get paid, the Super Bowl viewership is incredibly valuable. Last year, Rihanna saw a 390 per cent boost in song sales and a 140 per cent surge in streams after she left the stage.

If Swift performed a medley of hits, including songs she has yet to re-record, this would drive streams and sales of music she doesn’t own, which means she wouldn’t make as much money.

3. Too big for the Super Bowl?

Taylor Swift is no stranger to performing in front of thousands of people. Photo: @taylorswift13/Twitter

It’s also possible that Swift is simply too big for the Super Bowl. Musicians typically use the performance to promote new albums, world tours, or, in Rihanna’s case, make-up and skincare brands. But Swift doesn’t stand to gain much in terms of publicity; the Eras Tour is projected to make billions of dollars, the concert film stands to set records, and Swift is affecting local economies beyond the NFL’s scale.

“On the opening night in Glendale, Arizona, the concert brought in more revenue for local businesses than Super Bowl LVII, which was held back in February in the same stadium,” Time magazine previously reported.

Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour in Nashville, US, on May 5. Photo: AP Photo

“To use that event as a comparison, Swift has been performing the equivalent of two to three Super Bowls every weekend for the past five months.”

This article originally appeared on Insider.

Fame and celebrity

Swift has been making headlines for dating American footballer Travis Kelce, with the NFL reportedly wooing the star in hopes of getting her to perform at a future Super Bowl half-time show
But her Eras Tour is already the financial equivalent of two half-time shows every weekend and she’s set to release re-recorded album 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on October 27 – so does she need to bother?