As you may or may not know, NFL football player Travis Kelce, and world-renowned musician Taylor Swift, have been dating for quite some time now. Their romance has taken the internet by storm, exposing football fans to the artist and Swifties to the Kansas City Chiefs. Swift’s attendance at games has pulled in an audience never before seen by the NFL while Kelce’s attendance at her concerts has the Swiftie fandom in awe.
With Super Bowl LVIII fast approaching, it’s speculated that Swift will be in attendance. This may greatly affect several aspects of the most viewed football game of the year. We as an audience could see history in the making based on the impact of the celebrities’ relationship.
The history of their relationship
Kelce went to Swift’s Eras Tour in July with a friendship bracelet he made for her. The bracelets are traded at her shows among her fanbase with Swift lore on them. Kelce went to the concert in hopes of trading Swift a bracelet with his phone number on it, which he exposed to his brother in their podcast New Heights. He failed in his endeavor and called Swift out on the podcast for not sticking around long enough after the show for him to approach her.
Months later, Kelce’s mission to swoon Swift was forgotten about until she showed up at one of his games. The two were first seen together leaving Kelce’s game in September 2023. Afterward, America’s Sweethearts were caught going on romantic dates and sharing passionate kisses. Kelce has talked about Swift on his podcast and she has been to several of his games. However, some fans have begun to question the authenticity of their relationship based on how the NFL seems to use her to their advantage.
Viewership
Since the beginning of Kelce and Swift’s relationship, the Chiefs have had more views than ever before. Fans of Swift have tuned in to catch a peak at the star cheering her boyfriend on. Lucky for them, the NFL has been no stranger to using Ms. Swift’s presence, showing her throughout the broadcast, posting on social media, and capitalizing on their marketing of her relationship with Kelce. They’ve even gone as far as changing the official NFL TikTok and X bio to “Taylor was here.” The Swifties have been obsessed with all of this and coincidentally, the NFL has had their highest ratings since 2015.
With the Super Bowl already being the most-viewed football game each year, it could surpass previous games and obtain more views than ever before. The Swiftie fandom is hoping for a surprise album or even maybe a proposal if the Chiefs pull a win on Sunday.
Revenues
Swifties have not only watched the broadcast and attended Kelce’s games, but they’ve also fully immersed themselves in the Chiefs Kingdom. Companies have not hesitated in making creative shirts tying Swift to Kelce and selling them on TikTok shops and in stores. Newfound football fans have purchased these items along with Kelce’s jersey and other Chiefs memorabilia, skyrocketing the team’s sales.
The revenues being produced by the relationship don’t stop there. It seems that advertising companies have also used Swift and Kelce to their advantage, producing commercials that revolve around them. More commercials have consisted of Kelce individually, as well as appeal to the Swifties, and it seems to be working as the Chiefs fanbase continues to grow.
Scripted Controversies
Many football fans have had worse reactions since Swift began showing up to games. Several football lovers have been outraged with Swift because of her presence, calling her and the NFL out for the exploitation. Fans have said they are tired of seeing her on-screen and have begun to resent the artist.
Swift has been viewed as a marketing scheme used by the NFL. Fans have believed for years before this instance that the NFL is somewhat scripted, but now there’s more speculation around if the league has the right intentions. Several people believe that a Chiefs win this Sunday will prove these theories true, especially if something major happens between Kelce and Swift after the game (for instance, the promotion of Swift’s new album, the dropping of another Taylor’s Version, or even a proposal from Kelce). While this might be exciting news for the Swifties, football fans are likely to see this as an articulated plan to ensure the success of both sides.
The Super Bowl
Regardless of how the different fanbases feel about Taylor Swift, she’s arguably at the height of her career. Whether that’s due to her exposure to a different audience or the sheer fact that her music continuously breaks records remains unanswered. Her presence at the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 11 could possibly draw people in or perhaps even push people away who are tired of hearing about her.
The chips will fall as they may on Sunday, but this game will no doubt be an interesting one as the Chiefs battle to win their consecutive Super Bowl. The revenues and viewership may be higher than ever due to the interest that exists in a back-to-back Super Bowl win or because of Swift and Kelce’s relationship. The result of the upcoming game will unquestionably cause controversy among all fanbases, including the 49ers fans, and may leave some questioning the truth behind professional football.
The true impact that Travis and Taylor’s relationship may have on the sport will not be revealed until Sunday, so stay tuned!
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