On September 24, 2023, Taylor Swift attended her first Kansas City Chiefs football game upon an invitation from tight end Travis Kelce. With budding romance rumors, the ‘Swifties’ (fans of Taylor Swift) flocked to the networks and tuned into that game, and most Chiefs games since. Female viewership of the NFL went up 53% within the age group of 12-17 on her first appearance in Arrowhead Stadium.
With such a ratings boost the NFL bought into the Taylor Swift excitement. The league changed its social media bios to NFL (Taylor’s Version) and used her music in their promotional videos the following week.
This marketing tactic led many to believe that the Taylor and Travis romance was more for publicity than a real relationship. It’s true, Travis’s jersey sales leapt 400% within hours of that game. However, the consistent support and travel they have shown each other over the past four months has proven their relationship is about more than boosting each other’s popularity.
Although her presence has boosted the ratings and expanded the demographics of viewership, she has been scrutinized by the longtime fans of the NFL for being shown more than the action. In response to these complaints Swift says this in her TIME Person of the Year Interview: “I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”
Whether you think Taylor’s presence is bothersome to your football viewing experience, or your watch it because of her, you cannot deny her success in drawing people wherever she goes. Everything she touches turns to gold; the NFL saw that, and jumped on the ever growing Taylor Swift train.
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