Throughout the summer of 2023, it was almost impossible to go a day without hearing the name Taylor Swift. Swift’s “Eras Tour” was making its way through the U.S., gradually turning into a cultural phenomenon, and becoming the first tour to gross over $1 billion in revenue. However as the “Summer of Swift” came to a close, a new era of Taylor Swift was beginning.
Swift attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game in September of 2023, where she spent the day cheering on the team alongside Travis Kelce’s mom Donna. Dating rumors between her and Kelce began to swirl immediately, and their relationship was eventually confirmed in October of that year. By the time Super Bowl LVIII came around, the convergence of the “swiftie” fan base with the NFL was in full effect. Fans anxiously waited on Sundays for the reveal of Taylor’s gameday outfit, or watched the broadcast hoping for a glimpse of Taylor in the Kelce family suite.
Swift became so closely associated with the Chiefs’ broadcast that it garnered her some backlash. In response to those who echoed that idea that she was “taking over the NFL,” Swift said plainly “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.”
But the responses to Swift’s appearances in Sunday broadcasts weren’t all negative. For those who were already “swifties” and NFL fans, the crossover brought a newfound excitement to the game. However, for many Taylor Swift fans, the world of the NFL was relatively brand new. The shift in audience demographics in this past season demonstrates the obvious rise in interest from this new demographic. Female viewership rose 9% from last season to this season, higher than male viewership’s 6% uptick, according to the Front Office Sports report. While it may not be solely because of Swift’s appearances, it is certainly a contributing factor.
The “Taylor Swift Effect” is in full force in the NFL. Not only did viewership among women rise, but total viewership reached new heights, specifically for the Chiefs. The Chiefs’ Week Three matchup against the Chicago Bears (where Taylor made her first appearance) drew 24.3 million viewers on Fox, up 65.5% from last year’s Week 3 Chiefs’ matchup. While some of this can be attributed to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win driving up their ratings in general, Kelce and Swift’s debut was clearly a contributing factor. Swift and Kelce’s relationship has also increased merchandise sales significantly, with Kelce’s jersey becoming a top-five-selling jersey in the league after Swift attended her first Chiefs game.
“I’m more willing to watch the games when I know Taylor will be featured.” says one female fan. “I never had any interest in the NFL previously, but now I’ve started to pay attention to Chiefs’ players’ names and storylines.”
This example highlights the slow, but steady development of a strong female fan base in the NFL. Growing the fan base should be the inevitable goal of any major sports organization, and the NFL is no exception. In the past, female audiences have felt isolated and ostracized from the world of football and sports in general, and Swift’s new role is helping to bridge that gap.
“It gives me a chance to connect with my father and other NFL fans in my life, rather than feeling excluded from all conversations surrounding football.” says another fan.
The NFL has expressed its interest in becoming a “safe space” for women in the past, and Swift’s new entanglement with the league has proved beneficial for including more women in the conversation, both literally and figuratively.
There may be a new era coming in the NFL, one championed by Taylor Swift and her fan base of mainly young women. The crossover of these two worlds, once considered widely separate from one another, has opened up new possibilities for women to become involved in the world of football. It’s clear from viewership trends that this has already begun, and there is an opportunity right now for the NFL to sustain and build on this new audience. Taylor Swift’s fame and status carry a significant amount of weight; and it’s been said that “anything she touches turns to gold.” By embracing Taylor, and welcoming her fans with open arms, the NFL has an unprecedented chance to revolutionize the world of football.