NFL games have gained an estimated 2 million female viewers since international pop star Taylor Swift began appearing regularly at Kansas City Chiefs games.
Her association with the NFL, primarily through her relationship with Travis Kelce, has boosted the brand's value by an estimated $330 million.
"The Chiefs have declared that Taylor is part of the Chiefs Kingdom," says University of Kansas professor Brian Donovan, who teaches a class on “The Sociology of Taylor Swift." “In turn, the Swifties have really embraced the NFL. Not only are they watching it, but they're dissecting it, they're analyzing it, they're making merch about it."
Swift's frequent trips to Kansas City to visit Kelce have caused a considerable local economic boom. Businesses such as E.B. and Co., which sold a ring that Swift was seen wearing at a Chiefs game, have completely sold out of many Chiefs and Swift-themed items.
- Brian Donovan, University of Kansas sociology professor
- Alexis Greenberg, president and founder of the University of Kansas Swift Society
