The Taylor Swift Effect on the NFL
This year’s NFL season won’t just be remembered for what happened on the field — but who was in the stadium. Billionaire music artist Taylor Swift has left her own mark on the game and her relationship with the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce. Some may groan — but she’s brought in viewers and money. It’s called the Swift Effect and it all started last September when Taylor Swift first attended a Chief’s game to watch Travis Kelce play football. Sales of his jerseys went up a whopping 400%, according to Fanatics.
We spoke to some football fans and some Taylor Swift fans Sunday who were watching the Super Bowl together at Hilltop Public House. Anything Swift wears is hot. Her love of red lipstick is credited with a 254% increase in September of red lipstick purchases over the same month the year before.
But her impact on NFL viewership is what’s truly amazing. The Chiefs’ victory over the Baltimore Ravens on January 28 drew more than 55 million viewers, the most ever for an AFC Championship game, according to CBS Sports. Prior to that, the playoff game between the Chiefs and the Bills was the most-watched divisional playoff game in history with over 50 million viewers.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he is thrilled. “I think it’s great to have her a part of it obviously it creates a buzz. It creates another group of young fans. Particularly young women are interested in saying why she is at this game. Besides Travis she is a football fan and I think that’s great for us. She’s the best of the best and so having her coming to NFL games and having her a part of that. It’s nothing but a positive.”
Football fan Bo Henderson agrees and says, “If it grows the game then who cares if they’re watching it because Taylor’s watching it. They might start to enjoy it and have new women coaches and officials. You know, let’s grow the game even more.”
13 year old Reece Larson is a Taylor Swift fan who watched the Super Bowl and says, “She’s a very good person for a lot of young people to look up to. She’s very kind and generous, especially towards her fans. I feel like she is relatable for a lot of people.” The Super Bowl is the thirteenth Chief’s football game that Taylor Swift has attended since September, and thirteen just happens to be her lucky number.
