Taylor Swift won over another new fan in Travis Kelce's friend Taylor Lewan, days before the American power couple are expected to get married at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Swift joined Kelce last week for his annual 'Tight End University' - an event he helps plan for practice and networking with players who play in the position where the Kansas City Chiefs star made his name.

Swift has sprinkled some stardust over the last two events with a brief performance at the concert they host each year and this time, ex-NFL man turned podcast host Lewan got to witness Swift preparing to perform backstage.

Speaking on his popular Bussin' With The Boys podcast, Lewan explained: 'I'll just tell you this, dude - I was kind of into her music when I was younger. I haven't been super into it since then. It is just not my genre.

'The girl is incredible. What a performer. We are sitting backstage for a moment and she's about to go out. She's got a cluster, she's got a gaggle of individuals with her. But she's in the back before she walks out and you can see her just getting in the zone.

'I remember just looking at her being like "it is so cool that somebody who is as successful as she is, as famous as she is, she just handles her business the correct way at all times".

Taylor Swift stunned fans with a surprise performance at Travis Kelce's Tight End University

Swift joined Travis Kelce (left) alongside Claire Kittle, George Kittle, Greg Olsen and Talbot Olsen (L-R) at the opening event of Tight End University on Monday

Bussin' With The Boys host Taylor Lewan was impressed by Swift's performance last week

'And for her to sit back, get in the zone and go out and put on a performance, whether it was three minutes or five minutes, it was a very short amount of time, but the pop from the crowd... everybody in that moment felt like she was singing individually to them. And I thought that was just awesome.'

Swift joined Lainey Wilson on the stage to perform her hit 'Love Story' and dedicated it to Kelce's friend and rival tight end George Kittle, who plays for San Francisco 49ers.

'She probably misses ball!' Lewan joked about the lengthy NFL offseason. 'She misses ball a little bit, dude! But she was awesome. It was just really cool to watch people who are outliers in their craft perform.

'And I thought she is clearly that, the biggest superstar in the world. It is just awesome to see all that going down, all while our boy Trav is just bobbing around, stoked to kind of like be there.'

Swift and Kelce are expected to tie the knot this weekend in New York at the city's most iconic venue.

There were people in the industry who wondered if their plans to marry at MSG were a high-profile decoy but Daily Mail earlier this week shared pictures of equipment getting loaded into the venue, seemingly in preparation for the big day.

It remains to be seen if Lewan is going. He has known Kelce for around 10 years but the guestlist has been kept quiet and those attending have been sworn to secrecy.

And if, as Lewan suggested, Swift is missing football then she doesn't have too much longer to wait.

Kelce's Chiefs team start the season with a Monday Night Football showdown against AFC West rivals Denver Broncos on September 14 at Arrowhead Stadium.

‘Hand of OG’ NBA Finals game ball pulled from auction, to remain with Knicks

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‘Hand of OG’ NBA Finals game ball pulled from auction, to remain with Knicks

OG Anunoby after scoring the go-ahead basket at the end of Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

OG Anunoby scored the go-ahead basket at the end of Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The ball used in that moment is a highly coveted collectible. Al Bello / Getty Images

By Brooks PeckJune 30, 2026 Updated 11:44 am EDT

The ball that New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby tipped in to seal the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history and win Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs was returned to the Knicks shortly before it was scheduled to hit the Sotheby’s auction block Tuesday.

In the latest drama surrounding one of the most coveted and valuable NBA basketballs in existence, the “Hand of OG” ball was set to be one of the items featured in Part 1 of Sotheby’s 2026 NBA Finals auction starting June 30 and ending July 8. The auction also includes game-worn jerseys from both Knicks and Spurs players, as well as other game-used items from the series, like sections of the Madison Square Garden court bearing the Finals logo. But minutes before the auction was set to open, the auction page for the ball on Sotheby’s website was updated to read “This lot has been withdrawn,” as first reported by Darren Rovell on X.

“The game ball from Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals holds significant importance to the New York Knicks, their fans, and the city, and will remain with the team as a lasting piece of franchise history. As such, it will not be included in Sotheby’s June 30 auction, which will continue to feature a curated selection of authentic jerseys and memorabilia from the series,” an NBA spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic when asked why the ball was withdrawn.

OG Anunoby completes stunning Knicks win with tip-in for 3-1 series leadJay King

The NBA and Sotheby’s have had a partnership that makes the New York-based auction house “the official game-worn source” of the league since late 2023. Through that partnership, a wide array of valuable game-used items have been sold to collectors both through auctions and private deals, including jerseys worn by Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg in their respective NBA debuts. The Flagg jersey sold for $1 million in February.

While it’s highly unusual for an item to be pulled from one of the NBA auctions, especially so close to open bidding, the ball’s importance to the Knicks and its place in history as a key relic in the team’s journey to its first championship in 53 years is undeniable. The ball would have commanded a significant price on the open market, though. The day after Anunoby’s tip-in, collectors searched eBay for his name at a rate 16 times higher than the day before, according to the company. Before that game, Anunoby’s record trading card sale was $5,762 in 2024, but in the days after, he had seven cards sell for $8,000 or more, including one for a high of $20,000 on June 18.

In the absence of the ball, perhaps the standout piece in the auction is Finals MVP Jalen Brunson’s jersey from Game 1, in which he scored 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks jump out to an early series lead.

Jalen Brunson’s NBA Finals Game 1 jersey. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

There were 40 bids on the Brunson jersey within the first hour of the auction opening, with a high bid of $110,000.

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Jun 30, 2026

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UK high streets given major £500,000 outdoor dining boost – list of locations

UK high streets given major £500,000 outdoor dining boost – full list of 13 boroughs

The programme is also in place to fund live music events, food markets and World Cup screenings.

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Add us as preferred source Comments By Mia Raja 16:11, Tue, Jun 30, 2026 Updated: 16:14, Tue, Jun 30, 2026

Busy London streets and outdoor seating

The Summer Streets programme aims to fund outdoor dining, events and markets (Image: Getty)

One UK city will see the return of a government-funded programme as 13 boroughs received a share of nearly £500,000. The Summer Streets programme aims to fund outdoor dining, events, markets and cultural activities.

London will receive the funding for 15 projects as part of the Mayor’s “wider drive to support London’s hospitality and nightlife industries”. The Mayor of London website explained: “The return of Sadiq’s Summer Streets fund supports councils and hospitality businesses to deliver al fresco dining, family-friendly events and extended trading hours as Londoners and visitors enjoy the warmer months.” Four of these locations have received particularly large funding.

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Londoners can also travel at a reduced fare on any Saturday or Sunday between 25 July and 31 August (Image: Getty)

Barking & Dagenham, Brent, Greenwich and Lambeth have each received grants of up to £100,000 to transform areas with outdoor dining. This includes features like World Cup screenings, markets and cultural activities.

While Short Blue Place in Barking will transform into a street food market with performances from arts and theatre companies, Wembley High Road, Ealing Road and Kingsbury in Brent is set to feature over 40 events.

General Gordon Square, Beresford Square and Powis Street in Woolwich will feature al fresco dining, World Cup and Wimbledon screenings, markets, performances and late opening as part of Woolwich Carnival.

Meanwhile Lower Marsh in Waterloo will close its roads every Saturday between 9am and 9pm for events like National Theatre Live screenings.

The smaller ‘pocket’ schemes will be hosted in Brent, Camden, Ealing, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Lewisham, Newham, Sutton and Waltham Forest.

These locations have received up to £10,000 each for activities like food and drink markets, DJs and live music performances and family-friendly events for the local community.

Brits will also be able to pay for one single fare for unlimited journeys across London within a day, on any Saturday or Sunday between 25 July and 31 August. This applies to both buses and trams.