Kiss-cams and on-field engagements: 10 times romance made memorable moments in a sports arena

‘Tis the season for love. Christmas and NBA Christmas Day is an adored time in sports, but the holiday season doesn’t have as much love as, perhaps, Valentine’s Day. When you’re watching sports, it isn’t all about masculinity and the man cave, but it’s about kiss-cams, romance, and a lot of flirting.

The whirlwind relationship of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift made sure romance was ever-present on NFL Sundays this season. But they're just the latest example of love in the stadium and sports as a backdrop for romance.

For this year’s Valentine’s Day, it’s safe to celebrate with some of these lovable moments. Of course, the famous kiss cam is a favorite, but we’ve thrown in some other moments — proposals, not-quite-proposals, and a presidential kiss. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift aren’t the only ones romancing it up in the sports world and even they would be jealous of these moments.

Rhali Dobson soccer proposal

Let’s kick off this list with a kick, pun intended. Australian Women’s soccer star, Rhali Dobson, was in for a win not only on the soccer field but off in 2021. After a big game and a huge win in her final game with Melbourne City in 2021, Dobson was greeted by family, friends, fans, and most importantly, her boyfriend. Oops, I mean fiancé. The soccer star was surprised by a marriage proposal postgame right on the field. She broke into tears and everyone around the couple cheered. 

Nowadays, Rhali Dobson is a happily retired and married woman. If you go on her social accounts, pictures of her and her husband are all over it. If her soccer career doesn’t make one smile, then her personal life off the soccer field sure does. She talked about the moment here on the A-Leagues podcast:

YouTuber Cheeseaholic proposes to girlfriend at an NBA Game … and fails 

Cheeseaholic can usually be found on YouTube streaming NBA2k video games and doing videos which include his girlfriend. Well, the YouTuber decided to bring his show to a basketball game, and not for his usual stream — but for a live proposal. During a game between the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, Cheeseholic whipped out a ring and proposed to his girlfriend. The key word here is “live” — he’s a YouTuber; he was filming and this was in the middle of a real basketball game. 

There’s just one thing — his girlfriend rejected the proposal. Cheeseaholic’s livestream didn’t go as planned, and that’s the thing about being a YouTuber. The live show may not work out, and it certainly didn’t in this case. After the rejected proposal, Cheeseaholic uploaded a video to his YouTube channel of the proposal which already went viral and he called it a prank. But that may be due to the rejection. It’s okay, Cheeseaholic. We’ll still keep watching your NBA2k streams.

Ian Johnson scores on the field and off

The 2007 Fiesta Bowl is one of the greatest college football games ever. Boise State upset Oklahoma 43-42, and running back Ian Johnson was the star that night because he scored the winning touchdown. In a memorable play called the “Statue of Liberty,” Johnson pulled off a two-point conversion to win the game. That wasn’t the only highlight that night for Johnson during this Fiesta Bowl classic.

Following the game and his game-winner, Johnson proposed to his girlfriend, Chrissy Popadics, then a Boise State cheerleader. Fox Sports was on the scene for coverage and garnered a postgame interview with Johnson. The football star used this moment to propose, and the moment was caught live on television. 

The two married on July 28, 2007 and have a daughter. They are still married after 17 years. 

Carlos Correa wins another ring after Astros win World Series

In 2017, the Houston Astros won the World Series in seven games. Who could forget this memorable and exciting World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros? This was the first World Series championship for the Astros in franchise history.

This wasn’t the only win for the Astros, at least for shortstop Carlos Correa. Of course, there was the World Series win and earlier that season garnering his first All-Star selection. The real win came off the field after the Astros took home the title when Correa proposed to girlfriend Danielle Rodriguez. Correa made the proposal during a postgame interview right on the field. Rodriguez was Miss Texas USA in 2016. 

Correa and his wife live in Houston still, even though the shortstop is now a part of the Minnesota Twins. They have two sons, one born in 2021 and another born in 2023. 

Greg Jones wins Super Bowl over Patriots and wins in life and love

The Super Bowl is the biggest event of the year in sports, and for rookie linebacker Greg Jones, it certainly was bigger and more unusual. When the New York Giants faced the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLVI in 2011, they won one of the most surprising upsets ever. Jones could’ve taken his moment in stride and simply celebrated the win, but he took another win and celebrated more. 

After the win over the Patriots, Jones proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda Piechowski, who played basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. Jones and Amanda both went to Michigan State, and they had been dating for years before he popped the big question at the big dance.

Another fun fact about this proposal is that it was reported Jones had a teammate, Christian Hopkins, hold the ring for him during the game. The two are still married and have children. 

Utah Jazz dancer gets a surprise

The NBA is known for the game, a halftime show, and the dance routine of the team’s cheerleaders, but not necessarily marriage proposals. That is until Utah Jazz dancer — Danielle Bush — received a proposal from her boyfriend in the middle of the Jazz dance routine. 

Bush was a dancer for the Jazz during the 2021-22 NBA season when she received a surprise from her boyfriend. It was indeed a surprise. She was in the middle of a dance routine and the moment was caught live. The video of the night shows the couple bursting into happy tears and embracing. 

The two are now married and have a son. She’s no longer a cheerleader for the Jazz, but that’s obviously because she’s been busy off the court raising a family and enjoying married life.

Love & Hip-Hop: Gucci Mane proposes during Hawks game

Celebrities often take up the front row of basketball games and other sporting events. They can be seen hand-in-hand with their entourage and a significant other by their side. On this particular occasion, rapper Gucci Mane was caught under the kiss cam with his girlfriend, Keyshia Ka’oir. Not only did the kiss cam catch the Atlanta native, he turned the moment into a proposal. And she said yes! 

The moment was blinged out as Gucci and girlfriend showed off in front of the cameras. The rapper’s new fiancee showed the kiss cam her left hand and flaunted the diamond ring on her finger. The best part is that Gucci pulled off the surprise and she looked genuinely shocked as one does during an unexpected marriage proposal. The hip-hop couple looked happy and like a newly engaged power couple. 

Gucci Mane is still happily married to Keyshia Ka’oir, and that’s a Happy Valentine’s Day for us all.

Drake and Paul George and Lance Stephenson on the Double Lance Cam

The Kiss Cam isn't usually rolled out at award shows but the 2014 ESPYs brought it out for a hilarious bit. The kiss cam was remixed and turned into the “Lance Cam” for a segment with Drake, Lance Stephenson, and Paul George. 

Drake was the host for the evening, and he was calling out Lance Stephenson for blowing a kiss at LeBron James, a moment now that has turned into a meme on social media and should be a kiss cam moment of its own. Drake got the latter part and poked some harmless fun at Stephenson for his on-court antics.

During the awards show, Drake went up to Stephenson in the audience, the “Lance Cam” popped up and the two shared a moment. Well, not so much a kiss — but some jokes about blowing kisses.

That’s not all. Paul George, Stephenson's Pacers teammate at the time, was brought into the kiss cam moment with Drake and Stephenson in what was called the “Double Lance Cam.” Drake and Stephenson got on both sides of PG and did the Lance-kiss. 

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James refuse Kiss Cam 

This is a Kiss Cam moment that didn’t actually end in a kiss and certainly not a marriage proposal. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade got caught by the kiss cam when they were teammates on the Miami Heat and you can't help but laugh.

The two stars were sitting on the bench during a timeout and the PA could be heard screaming, “Kiss Cam!” You can see in the clip below, briefly, that they didn't actually appear on the jumbotron. The two teammates were being urged to do it in a fun and light-hearted moment, but they sat there and laughed it off.

At least the Kiss Cam moment and all those watching got the NBA’s two biggest stars to acknowledge it. LeBron and D-Wade knew the camera was there, and their polite refusal through shaking their heads and smiling was enough.

Barack & Michelle Obama, presidential kiss

This list wouldn’t be right without a Presidential moment. When the former President and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, sit front row at a sporting event, the camera doesn't miss them. Instead, it fell right in their lap and the two fell for it. It was the USA Men’s Basketball exhibition game vs Brazil during the Olympics. It was 2012, and during the Summer before Obama was going to begin his second term in office. 

The then-President didn’t seem to catch the moment right away, but it was the First Lady who made the first move. Well, it was the President and First Lady’s daughter, Malia Obama, who spotted and yelled out “Kiss Cam.” Once things got going, the two engaged in what might be the first Presidential Kiss-Cam.

Truly one for the ages, catching the Obamas in an otherwise private moment. The surrounding fans looked on and the crowd erupted for “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” in unison.