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Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs has hit back at those who blamed Taylor Swift for ruining the Super Bowl experience after the 2024 final became the most-watched TV event in US history.
Stubbs, who coached Serena Williams in 2022, praised the pop star for her support of her boyfriend Tavis Kelce, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, and mocked those who claimed she was a distraction for the game.
The Super Bowl LVIII was held on Sunday, February 11, at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs clinched their fourth title and their second consecutive one with a narrow 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, who were seeking their sixth championship.
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According to Nielsen Fast National Data, the Super Bowl 2024 final drew an average of 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, making it the most-watched television broadcast of all time. The previous record was held by the Super Bowl 2023 final between Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, which had 115.1 million viewers.
One of the highlights of the Super Bowl 2024 final was Swift's appearance, who is one of the most successful and influential artists of all time. The pop star, who has been dating the Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce since July 2023, attended the game to support her boyfriend and his team. Her presence was previously criticized by online trolls for being a distraction.
Stubbs, who is a former professional tennis player and coach, as well as a current tennis commentator and analyst, took to X ( formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, February 13, to react to the news of Super Bowl breaking viewership records, and also took a swipe at Swift’s critics.
"So @taylorswift13 didn’t ruin football watching for y’all. 👍🏼 😂" Stubbs wrote.
Serena Williams's former coach Rennae Stubbs critiqued WTA’s media strategy following NWSL’s groundbreaking broadcasting agreement
Serena Williams's ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, previously criticized the WTA for not leveraging the popularity of female tennis players, following the National Women’s Soccer League's (NWSL) groundbreaking $240 million media rights deal over four years.
The NWSL's agreements with ESPN, Amazon, CBS, and Script Sports, totaling $60 million annually, represent a significant increase from previous deals. In contrast, the WTA's 10-year, $525 million media rights deal with PERFORM from 2017 to 2026 faced criticism for its lack of transparency in revenue distribution.
In November 2023, Stubbs suggested that the WTA should learn from the NWSL's success and aim for similar recognition and rewards in women’s tennis.
"@wta I’m looking at u," Stubbs wrote in her Instagram story.
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