Erin Andrews is excited about the attention Taylor Swift is bringing to the NFL and how it’s helping women become invested in the sport.
“I’ve been very passionate and emotional about it. I think it’s amazing,” the FOX sports broadcaster, 45, tells PEOPLE in an interview for her clothing line, WEAR by Erin Andrews. “I feel so bad for people who are having any sort of issue with it.” Andrews explains how she grew up watching football with her dad, a journalist who would teach her about the players. “I thought that all these guys were my friends because my dad would tell me such relatable stories about them that I became such a huge fan of the sport,” she says. She adds how since the 14-time Grammy award winner, 34, started dating Kanas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, 34, she’s watched other fathers and daughters also bond together, just as she did.
“I think the biggest thing that’s so exciting and cool about it is the young girls, the young fans that we have now interested in the league. I sat next to a little girl at a restaurant months ago and she was going on and on about the Chiefs playing in Buffalo. And I said, ‘Do you know if that game’s in Kansas City or Buffalo? And she knew,” she says.
She continues: “Any way you can get young girls, mid-age girls, older women who are fans of Taylor to not feel so insecure about not knowing anything about this sport, the Xs and Os, anyway we can let them in and feel like they have a connection to the sport, it’s so exciting.” The sports commentator also opened up more about her thoughts on Swift’s NFL appearances on the latest episode of her podcast, Calm Down With Erin and Charissa, which she co-hosts with Charissa Thompson.
“How is it bad that we have young girls that want to watch the NFL? I think it’s freaking awesome,” Andrews said on the podcast. “Calm down, go away, if you don’t want to watch it, don’t watch it. How is that affecting your life?” “And you know what Taylor, I’m so glad you were on that field to celebrate with your boyfriend, I f—ing loved it,” she continued.
