Taylor Swift has single-handedly added millions to the US economy, since she started her Eras Tour. The global influence of the pop star is unprecedented and now this influence has reached to enter the world of sports. Her alleged romance with Chiefs’ TE Travis Kelce has boosted her visibility in the NFL like never before.
The 2023 NBA finals averaged 11.6M viewers, regular NFL games averaged 16.7M viewers last season. In contrast, last week’s “Sunday Night Football” averaged 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched Sunday TV show since last year’s Super Bowl. The Taylor Swift effect is clearly in full effect.
Taylor Swift Brings Girl Power to Boost NFL Viewership
No matter what the critics say, Taylor Swift’s impact on the game is clear to see. The Chiefs vs. Jets at one point saw a viewership of almost 30 Million during the second quarter. The biggest and most obvious statistic that points to Swift’s influence is the demographic victory.
Females aged 12 to 17 witnessed a remarkable 53% surge, while females aged 18 to 24 experienced a 24% increase. Additionally, women over the age of 35 saw a substantial 34% increase in viewership. Taylor Swift’s appearance further brought significant national attention to the game, making it the most watched professional football match of the current season.
Did Popstar Put Travis Kelce On The Map?
The Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift romance is all anyone has ever known since his first appearance at a Chiefs game. Social media is abuzz with conversation about the two, with funny trends and memes emerging about the two. Taylor Swift may not have put Kelce on the map, but there’s no denying the massive impact she’s had.
Following his appearance at Arrowhead, the All-pro TE’s jersey sales saw a massive 400% increase in sales, taking him to the top five spot in jersey sales. The Swifties seem to have taken over the American Football scene. According to Forbes, Kelce added more than 300,000 followers almost immediately after seeing the popstar. Audiences for his podcast with brother and Eagles center Jason Kelce, dubbed ‘New High’ have also soared, topping them on Apple’s charts. During Sunday’s game, CBS cut Swift’s live reactions 17 times, giving Swifties something to look forward to.
It’s not just TE that seems to benefit from Swift’s presence, ticket sales are also spiking for future games. The Chiefs have sold more single-game tickets since the start of the 2023 season, and Stubhub reported a three-fold increase in Chiefs ticket searches.
Taylor Swift is currently taking a break from her tour but she will be back in November and she will not be able to attend these games. Will the mania continue, though, or should the NFL make the most of the halo effect while it still can?
