Taylor Swift won’t play Super Bowl halftime show, per reports

The NFL’s league office won’t be landing its dream Super Bowl performer this season.

According to a report by British pop culture reporter Rob Shuter, the NFL’s talks with global pop icon Taylor Swift have “fell apart” after the singer was denied terms “that matched her influence.” An anonymous music executive told the pop culture reporter, “She wasn’t asking for favors, she was asking for respect,” adding, “Taylor knows her worth. She knows the kind of ratings she brings, the global attention she commands. She wasn’t about to hand that over for free.”

“Taylor Swift doesn’t need exposure. She wanted a deal that reflected her value,” another industry source said.

Per Charlotte NBC affiliate WCNC, part of the deal Swift was bargaining for included ownership over the footage of the halftime show. The pop star, who is now engaged to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, recently ended a years-long battle to regain ownership over her own music, and likely sees a performance such as the Super Bowl halftime in a similar light.

Speculation over Swift’s potential Super Bowl performance gained steam earlier this month when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC’s Today that she would be welcome to take the gig “at any time.” At the very least, recent reports indicate that there have been substantive talks between the NFL and Swift about the gig.

Adele is now “in talks” to play February’s Super Bowl halftime show, according to a report by Page Six.