Kings cover banner due to Taylor Swift ‘curse’

11:13 AM ET

The Los Angeles Kings aren’t taking any chances with the Taylor Swift “curse.”

After winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, the Kings haven’t gotten out of the first round of the playoffs since a banner commemorating Swift’s sellout streak at Staples Center was raised in August 2015. Swift might sing “Don’t Blame Me,” but Kings fans do.

The team is trying to shake it off by covering the banner with black cloth, leaving a blank space in the rafters.

The @LAKings will cover Taylor Swift’s banner at Staples Center for all home games. “The connection to our fans is our highest priority and through our engagement they have made it clear that the banner shouldn’t be part of their Kings game experience.” https://t.co/tR04KZRamy
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 13, 2019

“The connection to our fans is our highest priority and through our engagement they have made it clear that the banner shouldn’t be part of their Kings game experience,” Michael Altieri, senior vice president of marketing, communications and content for the Kings, told the Los Angeles Times. “We didn’t see an issue in covering it for our games and in fact see it as an opportunity to show our fans that we hear them.”

Believe the curse or not, the Kings won their home opener with the banner covered up on Saturday, beating Nashville. It didn’t hurt that the Predators are the team Swift roots for from her home in nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The Kings lost Sunday’s game at Staples, however, to the Vegas Golden Knights.