The NFL is a male-dominated industry, not only when you factor in all the players on the field, but off the field as well. The head coaches, commentators, announcers, coaching assistants and referees are all roles in the NFL that are predominantly, if not entirely, filled by men. So where do women fit into this male-dominated industry, with a male-dominated fanbase?
It is important to preface that just because the NFL is male-dominated does not mean that women cannot appreciate all the same competitive, entertaining, analytical and strategic aspects that men appreciate about the league. There are plenty of women who are avid NFL fans, and under that umbrella falls a smaller category of women who are trying to break into the NFL as their career. In 2023, the NFL had the largest number of female full-time assistant coaches in its history, which is one of the only major career advancements that women have made in the league since 2015.
Every woman attempting to gain success through a job with the NFL will inevitably face adversity they must overcome. With male-dominated sports, most of society maintains the expectation that the people running the sports should also be men. Oftentimes, when society sees that this expectation is not being met, criticism follows.
For example, Beth Mowins was the first female announcer for a Monday night football game in 2018. The game was not even over before critical male NFL fans commented that her voice was annoying, overbearing and nagging. It is a common fear that many women working in the NFL have — that breaking societal norms will result in society’s overwhelming disapproval.
There are very few women powerful enough to face the NFL fanbases’ disapproval and criticism of women in the league. However, notable female celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Alix Earle and Taylor Swift have been used by the NFL to market and advertise during this most recent NFL season.
Within the past year, there has been an increase in influential women bringing their predominantly female audiences to the NFL. The 2024 Super Bowl Half-Time Show performance was announced nationwide by Kim Kardashian on Apple Music’s social media. TikTok influencer Alix Earle, who amasses six million followers across her social media platforms, has introduced her dedicated female fanbase to her relationship with Braxton Berrios, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, via her YouTube podcast, TikTok videos and Instagram.
There is no debate that the most talked-about woman in current sports news is Swift. Among Swift’s fame and success are 12 Grammy Awards, the most awarded artist at the American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards and billions of dollars in revenue from her sold-out Eras Tour concert and movie. As a result, it was no surprise that when Swift began dating Travis Kelce, a tight end for the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and appearing at his games, fans from both sides began to pay attention.
Swift and NFL fans alike could not look away from the publicity circling their relationship, as the NFL chose to showcase Swift by broadcasting her on the jumbo screen at every game she attended and even changing their name on X to “NFL (Taylor’s Version).” Swift’s appearances in the NFL’s regular season games increased viewership to an average of 17.9 million viewers, which was a 7% increase from the year prior. While fans at first were excited to see a celebrity power couple unite, Swift’s appearances on the NFL screens began to receive criticism almost instantly.
Having a woman like Swift, with such an overwhelmingly large female fanbase, be previewed at every Chiefs game was unbearable for a certain majority of NFL fans. Critics like former head coach and current broadcaster Tony Dungy have voiced their opinions, stating, “There’s so much on the outside coming in — entertainment value and different things taking away from what really happens on the field.” Other trending comments call Swift a modern-day “Yoko Ono.”
For many avid male NFL watchers, football can be a safe place for them to dissociate from feminization. As a result, when a highly-feminine globally-known female artist is mentioned or previewed, some male viewers have a negative reaction. Swift and fans do not fit the typical box of a girls’ sports fan — at least not in the stereotypical societal lens.
Whether or not society can agree on their opinions over Swift’s many appearances in the NFL games and on social media, it cannot be denied that the NFL is continuing to grow and diversify with the help of the strong women leading those ideals.
