Chiefs fan shares unofficial rules for people sitting by Taylor Swift's suite at Arrowhead

Pete Grathoff, The Kansas City Star on Jan 17, 2025

Published in Football

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As a season ticket holder for more than 50 years, Chiefs fan Pam Hatcher has had a lot of memorable moments at Arrowhead Stadium.

Most have to do with what Hatcher has seen on the field, but she vividly recalls something that happened in the stands during a game in the 2023 season.

“We ended up with like eight Jackson County Sheriffs down there, and over 18 Arrowhead security (members), and they still couldn’t handle it,” Hatcher said. “It was a mess. We left when there was about 10 minutes left in the third quarter, because we were worried about being trampled.”

What caused such a stir?

The arrival of superstar singer Taylor Swift for her first game as a Chiefs fan at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift was in a suite just two rows behind Hatcher and her family.

Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is expected to be at Saturday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans. It’ll still be a big deal, but there isn’t quite the hullabaloo like what took place at that first game when the Chiefs crushed the Chicago Bears.

After that game, Kelce’s suite was moved, Hatcher said.

“You only can get to it from the elevators and you only can get to it from the club level,” Hatcher said. “After she sat in our section at 121, she moved directly to 119 in that same suite she’s been there ever since. It’s much better. Everybody’s calmed down about it.”

Unofficial rules

Carley J., a Chiefs fan who lives in Iowa, attended the last month’s win over the Texans, and she sat in the seats directly in front of Swift’s suite.

She shared some unofficial rules for folks who sit in that area.

“We were asked to not ask for pictures because it would start a swarm, don’t pass anything through the window,” Carley said in a TikTok video. “So, like, don’t ask for autographs, or try to stick your hand in the suite or anything, obviously. So security was there. It wasn’t super tight or aggressive or anything like that. There were no bodyguards in the stands. I’m sure there was someone in the suite, but it was not anything crazy.”

Security members at Arrowhead Stadium checked her tickets before Carley was allowed to find her seat.

In a message to The Kansas City Star, Carley said she was informed of those unofficial rules by season-ticket holders in the area. But she was able to talk with Swift.

“The windows were open for the entire game,” Carley said. “They were closed during halftime, and they closed pretty much immediately once the game was done. But during the game they were open. Taylor did move around in the suite a lot. When the Chiefs were on defense, she would go in the back of the suite and, you know, do whatever. And then when the Chiefs were on offense, she would come back to that front row of chairs.

“She didn’t sit in the same chair the whole time. She kind of moved around a little bit. But for the majority of the game, she was on my side of the suite, which was really super cool.”

Carley said Swift is like any other member of Chiefs Kingdom at a game, and that includes being upset with the game officials when a penalty goes against KC.

“She really is just like a fan when she’s there, which is so cool,” Carley said. “So like, there was a bad call, for example, and she was talking about, like the ref and how he was at previous games or whatever, and talking to us as the people outside the suite. So we had this little eye roll at each other, ‘What are these refs thinking,’ kind of thing.

“So it was kind of cool to just have those human interactions with her, like you would with any other Chiefs fan. So that was really neat.”

Others in Swift’s suite

Before Kelce’s suite was moved to a new location, Hatcher got to know the Chiefs tight end’s family through the years.

“Donna and Ed and his aunt and his uncle have always been so friendly,” Hatcher said. “Jason, when he came to a couple of the playoff games, you know, when the Eagles were out of it, they are so nice. They’re high-fiving with us. They’re sharing alcohol ... and it’s always been such a family affair. Their friends are all great.

“And then at that Taylor game, it was like, Oh my gosh. The windows were open because it was a September game and we were high-fiving.”

Carley bought her seats specifically to be near Swift, and she said it was money well spent.

“I’ve been describing the experience as perfect,” she wrote. “We were able to enjoy the game like we normally would, the Chiefs got the win, and we even had a short interaction with Taylor. We also had small interactions with some of the other people in the suite. Everyone was incredibly nice and I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of the day. I’m so glad we bought those tickets! Will remember it forever.”