Taylor Swift’s NFL Game Appearances Boosted TV Viewership

Taylor Swift did more than support Travis Kelce at NFL games last season. ESPN reports her appearances also boosted television views.

“Being in the weeds of it, I think in the beginning there was definitely a big Taylor Swift bump, especially I think the Chicago Bears-Chiefs game where she first showed up,” Omar Roja, social content host at ESPN told reporters Wednesday (Aug. 28) and PEOPLE.

Swift attended 13 NFL games last year in support of her boyfriend who she’s been dating since last July. Kelce is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and of the 13 games Swift attended, two were huge for the Chiefs including the AFC West and the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

Roja explained that as the season progressed the viewership wasn’t “as big” as the beginning but it increased eyeballs on the game as the NFL began “reaching fans that maybe [we] wouldn’t have before.”

Swift’s impact was monumental not only during the broadcast but also during moments of her in the suite celebrating with Kelce’s family and her famous friends such as Blake Lively that went viral online. Roja said her impact was seen “especially when it came to TikTok.”

“I’ve been doing this for 17 years. I’ve never seen this before,” said Flora Kelly, ESPN’s vice president of brand strategy and content research. She compared Taylor and Travis’ relationship to the additional visibility to “Caitlin Clark sparking what we saw with women’s college basketball” and Deion Sanders becoming the coach of Colorado.

“But it’s also helping us thrive our linear business as well,” Kelly continued. “It is, again, the first year I’ve ever seen this, where you’re starting to see culture and social media really spark that attention factor. And I wouldn’t just isolate it to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.”

Swift’s appearances at NFL games have not been met without critique as many fans complained online that the camera was too much on the singer during the game. However, in her TIME Person of the Year profile, she seemed unfazed by the trolls.

“I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in,” she says. “There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once.”

“I’m just there to support Travis,” she continued. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

Kelce spoke about how dating Swift has gotten him more exposure despite his NFL status. In a TikTok posted earlier this month, Kelce was in a hallway where he walked by fans.

“What are you guys doing in my hallway?” the athlete asked.

“You just took my wife’s breath away, literally she just almost died,” the man filming said to Kelce.

“The Taylor Swift effect,” Kelce says with a shrug as the fans laugh.

Take a look at the video below:

@brianwascavagedpm

Unbelievable day at @Chiefs friends and family day. Thank you for the time @Travis Kelce. #greatesttightendeva #chiefskingdom #fyp #chiefs #taylorswift #traviskelce87 #newhieghtspodcast

♬ original sound – BrianWascavageDPM