It's a trend that many have dubbed "The Taylor Swift Effect," and it's now made its way to the National Football League.
While the Kansas City Chiefs' 41-10 rout over the Chicago Bears on Sunday wasn't a game that will go down in history as an all-time great, it did cement itself as a core memory for Swifties when the 12-time Grammy Award winner was seen in attendance at a sold-out Arrowhead Stadium, sitting alongside a familiar figure: Travis Kelce's mother.
Swift and the Chiefs All-Pro tight end were rumored to be secretly dating earlier this month, and while neither have confirmed the gossip, the romantic fervor — and Swift's reaction to Kelce's third quarter touchdown — seems to have helped spur blockbuster ratings. Fox Sports revealed Tuesday that the game drew 24.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched NFL telecast of the week across any network. It also ranked first in every female demographic.
While it can sometimes be difficult to credit one person for such a massive surge in ratings, it's hard not to assume Swift was the draw for this game. It's also safe to assume she's at least partially responsible for the swath of additional attention Kelce has received in recent weeks.
According to sports merchandise company Fanatics, Kelce jerseys were among the top-five sellers for the NFL on Sunday, with a company spokesperson telling the Associated Press that they saw a "400% spike" in online sales. Kelce has also amassed more than 300,000 new Instagram followers since Sunday's game — outpacing what he garnered after the Chiefs' 2022 Super Bowl victory.
While Kelce and Swift were seen leaving the stadium together after the Chiefs' victory, we still don't know what the "End Game" is here. Whether this marks the end of a "Cruel Summer" and beginning to a new "Love Story," or it's just some "Innocent" fun, one thing is clear, and it's that The Taylor Swift Effect continues to have a dominant grasp on the media — and now the NFL.
Gage Jackson
