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Swifties vs. NFL fans
NOTE: This story was first published in Fast Company on October 8, 2023.
The National Football League (NFL) brought in a whopping $18.6 billion in revenue last year, with an average of $5.1 billion per team.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is on schedule to gross over $2.2 billion. Her current individual net worth is estimated at $780 million, and The Eras Tour concert movie, set to debut October 13, has broken presale records.
Swifties and NFL fans, independently, have enough financial clout to create tremors in the economy, so what happens when the two worlds collide?
A “Taylor Swift effect” has lit up the NFL with the spotlight on the Kansas City Chiefs games as audiences tuned in to catch a glimpse of the artist watching her rumored new boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce, take the field. Kelce jersey sales skyrocketed 400% and NFL TV audiences surged 7% (2 million people) in female viewership. (It’s worth noting that 38% of “avid” NFL fans are women, according to a report observing that Super Bowl ads were finally reflecting this base.)
The football franchise welcomed Swift’s economic clout with open arms and an invitation to any game. The NFL leaned into the phenomenon. One of its social channels declared in its bio, “We had the best day with you today,” as a nod to her song “The Best Day” (which, I am not…