The New York Knicks have publicly backed Taylor Swift after two of their players questioned how genuine her support for the team is, according to BBC.
Point guards Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride were taking part in an NBA 2K livestream on Thursday when they were asked to name the least authentic celebrity follower of the Knicks. Kolek answered with Swift's name, saying that appearances at Knicks games tend to look staged, with celebrities showing up to be noticed rather than out of real attachment to the team.
A Knicks spokesperson responded on Friday, telling media that Swift has followed the franchise for a long time, has a deep connection to Madison Square Garden, and that the organisation is very grateful for the backing she has given it, BBC reports.
Why it matters
The exchange puts an awkward spotlight on the relationship between sports teams and the famous faces in their courtside seats. Celebrity attendance is a marketing asset for any NBA franchise, and a player dismissing a high-profile supporter as insincere creates a messaging problem the front office has to manage. The Knicks moved quickly to do exactly that, issuing a statement within a day of the livestream.
For Swift, the episode is a minor irritant rather than a controversy. Her ties to the Knicks and to Madison Square Garden are long-standing and well documented, which is presumably why the team felt comfortable pushing back so directly.
What the players said
Kolek did not stop at naming Swift. He acknowledged that his answer would likely draw anger from her fanbase, and he offered a partial explanation for her limited attendance, noting that she has a great deal on her schedule and cannot be at games all the time. Even so, he described her presence as somewhat performative, according to BBC.
McBride, asked the same question, was more generous about other celebrities. He said the rest of the well-known Knicks supporters are generally genuine, naming actor Ben Stiller and comedian Tracy Morgan as examples.
People.com reported that Kolek characterised Swift's courtside appearance at Madison Square Garden as "a little performative." The Independent covered the livestream as a player calling out a "performative" fake fan, while TMZ reported that the Knicks organisation had shown support for Swift after the players' remarks.
A long history with the Garden
Swift's association with the Knicks stretches back more than a decade. She attended a Chicago Bulls game against New York in October 2014 and a matchup with the Orlando Magic the following month, per BBC.
Her connection to the arena itself goes further than basketball. She played Madison Square Garden on her Fearless tour in 2009 and returned during the Speak Now tour in 2011.
This year she was courtside at two high-stakes playoff games. In May she attended Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals in Cleveland, and in June she was at Game Four of the NBA Finals in New York. For that Finals appearance she sat with musicians Este Haim and Alana Haim and actor Mariska Hargitay, the group wearing matching blue shirts with orange lettering that read "Stevie Knicks," "Knickelback" and "Knickole Kidman."
The Knicks went on to claim their first championship in more than five decades, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game Five, a result that set off celebrations across New York City.
The Garden also hosted a more personal milestone this year. In July, Swift married Travis Kelce there in a ceremony attended by a long list of celebrities and officiated by actor Adam Sandler. Few details were made public; Swift's publicist confirmed at the time that both the singer and Kelce wore Christian Dior, and that the couple had no bridesmaids or groomsmen. Swift's brother, Austin Swift, served as her man of honour, while Jason Kelce, Travis's brother, was best man.
What to watch
Neither Kolek nor McBride has issued a personal statement beyond the livestream, and the Knicks have not indicated any further action. The next test will be whether Swift turns up at the Garden again this season, and whether the players' comments follow her into the stands.
