With recent tragedies occurring worldwide, I thought this week we would talk about something rather interesting than tragic. If you are either an NFL fan, a swifty (Taylor Swift’s fanbase), or a casual news watcher, it seems like all people can talk about is Taylor Swift and her new romantic partner, Travis Kelce. The American public can’t seem to get enough of this pop star football player love, and it’s affecting the amount of people watching the NFL.
In case you didn’t know, Travis Kelce is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and well, Taylor Swift is Taylor Swift. Taylor was first spotted at the Chiefs game on September 24 at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium with Kelce’s mother. Late that same Sunday afternoon, the game had a reported viewer average of 24.3 million, and it was branded “”America’s Game of the Week” (Forbes, 2023). Ever since Talyor has been seen attending the Chiefs games, there has been an increase in Sunday Night football among the female audience, with viewership from women ages 18-to-24 increasing 24% and women age 35+ rising 34% (Deadline, 2023).
When Swift was confirmed to be attending the New York Jets vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Tickpick reported a ticket increase from $83 to $119, a 40% increase. The game was streamed on NBC and digital platforms, which reported an average viewership of 27 million. It is safe to say that everybody benefits from the Taylor romantic life.
Taylor Swift has also positively affected the Kansas City Chiefs and Travis himself. Fanatics reported a 400% increase in Kelce’s jersey sales, placing him in the top 5 players in the NFL. The Chefs have reported more ticket sales since the start of the 2023 season. Since Kalce started dating Swift, he has generated an additional $3 million from product endorsements. Currently, he has an estimated net worth of $40 million.
Whether or not Taylor Swift and Travis Kalece are endgame (this is the title of a Taylor Swift song), the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs benefit from her presence.
Works Cited
Everson, Patrick. “’Swifties Effect’: How Taylor Swift is affecting Travis Kelce, NFL player props.” FOX Sports, 7 October 2023, https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/swifties-effect-how-taylor-swift-is-affecting-travis-kelce-nfl-player-props. Accessed 1 November 2023.
McCarthy, Michael, et al. “Taylor Swift NFL Hype Likely To Continue Another Week.” Front Office Sports, 27 September 2023, https://frontofficesports.com/taylor-swift-hype-likely-to-continue-another-week/. Accessed 1 November 2023.
White, Peter. “Taylor Swift NFL Ratings NBC Kansas City Chief New York Jets – Deadline.” Deadline, 2 October 2023, https://deadline.com/2023/10/taylor-swift-nfl-ratings-nbc-chiefs-jets-1235561852/. Accessed 1 November 2023.
