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Aseza Hele: The Springbok Women’s heroine South Africa needs
The Mercury
|August 29, 2025
ONE suspects that the average South African couldn't give two hoots about the Kansas City Chiefs. After all, in the world of sport - whether the Americans would like to admit it or not — American football doesn’t really resonate with many outside of the US.
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For sure, there will be an enthusiast here and there amongst us, but almost exclusively the talk of weekly sporting debates will be soccer, rugby and cricket — in that order - with an odd reference to Akani Simbine or the Proteas senior netball team thrown in for good measure. Perhaps the latest defeat of Dricus du Plessis will also make a talking point.
Nonetheless, the recent engagement of tight end (who knows what that is and, to be honest, I couldn't be bothered) Travis Kelce and pop icon Taylor Swift (I will admit that one album of hers ... 1989 ... isa bop) has reminded all and sundry of the power of good brand association.
By all accounts, since those two became an item, the social media output of their romance has flooded platforms ad nauseam. The interest and audience in the Kansas City Chiefs grew impressively during last season’s NFL campaign, with spikes in nontraditional audiences whenever Swift was in the stands.
This story is from the August 29, 2025 edition of The Mercury.
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