In 2016, NFL player Travis Kelce dated 50 women on his reality dating show, “Catching Kelce,” drawing 259,000 viewers.
Fast forward to 2023, when Taylor Swift attended an NFL game to support Kelce, and the results were astounding.
Her presence brought an average of 27 million viewers to the game, making it the most-watched Sunday program since the Super Bowl. Female viewership spiked by over 35%, with 53% more teenage girls tuning in.
Kelce’s popularity soared, gaining more Instagram followers after Swift’s appearances than after all his Super Bowl games combined.
Jersey sales with Kelce’s name and number shot up by 400%, and his podcast, “New Heights,” co-hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, became No. 1 on Spotify and Apple.
Travis Kelce became the third most-searched public figure in the U.S., just behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, according to Parrot Analytics.
While this newfound fame has its perks, some wonder if the NFL is overdoing it. NFL social media posts have incorporated Taylor Swift, and NBC even promoted games with Swift’s music.
