Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Real Romance or NFL Cash Grab?

The National Football League (NFL) has made millions in recent weeks thanks to an unexpected source: pop superstar Taylor Swift. Rumors linking Swift to NFL player Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, have driven up television ratings, merchandising revenue, and ticket sales. This windfall illustrates how the NFL capitalizes on every money-making opportunity associated with its players.

Dating speculation began swirling in September 2022 when Swift was spotted in the stands at a Chiefs home game, seated near Kelce’s mother. Kelce then mentioned in an interview that he had given Swift his phone number and invited her to a game. Neither Swift nor Kelce have publicly confirmed a romantic relationship.

The media attention surrounding the possible power couple has already had a positive financial impact on the NFL. The NFL, a $16 billion corporation, generates revenue from players' popularity through broadcast contracts, licensing arrangements, and ticket purchases. As one of the world’s biggest pop stars, Swift expanded Kelce’s celebrity substantially.

Fox Sports said viewership for the Chiefs game Swift attended was “the highest-rated telecast of the week on any network.” The NFL profits when ratings rise, since it can then demand more money for broadcasting rights. Attendance may also increase at Chiefs games if fans think Swift could show up to support Kelce.

Even a small attendance bump means more ticket, concession and merchandising income.

The most direct financial gain for the NFL has been a spike in Kelce jersey sales since he was linked to Swift. The NFL splits merchandising revenue with all 32 teams. So when jersey sales rise, the league makes more money.

Kelce jersey purchases increased 400 percent after Swift watched him play, per the Associated Press. He became one of the NFL’s top five selling jerseys practically overnight. At around $100 per official Kelce jersey, those additional sales alone could mean millions in extra income for the NFL.

The revenue from this publicity blitz may be just the beginning. Swift has a intensely loyal fanbase, and many could become lifelong Chiefs supporters if she and Kelce stay together. If Kelce’s games continue drawing bigger audiences because of the Swift factor, the NFL would benefit enormously over time from increased media rights fees.

"The success of America's sports leagues depends on their star players," observed Patrick Rishe, who leads the sports business school at Washington University in St. Louis.  Rishe explained that star athletes like Kelce expand the NFL’s reach and enable it to “command premium advertising rates and media rights fees.”

Swift’s fame could make Kelce an even more lucrative long-term asset for the NFL. She boasts 200 million Instagram followers to his 2.7 million.

The NFL has a lengthy history of taking advantage of players' fame outside football. After Tom Brady married supermodel Gisele Bündchen in 2009, his first game following the wedding received the highest regular season ratings in more than ten years. The NFL offered exclusive products featuring Brady and Bündchen.

The league also profits when rivalries grabs headlines. When Kelce’s Chiefs played the Buffalo Bills in October 2022, the NFL played up the “Kelce Bowl” angle featuring Travis and his brother Jason Kelce, who plays for the Bills. The game was a ratings smash.

"The NFL has become highly skilled at using players' fame to increase the number of viewers and generate more revenue," stated Mark Conrad, who is the director of the sports business program at Fordham University. Conrad sees the league employing similar tactics with Swift and Kelce. “This relationship merges pro football’s immense popularity with her music fanbase for the potential of even greater riches.”

In 2021, the NFL took in roughly $11 billion just from media deals with companies like Fox Sports, CBS and NBC. That was more than half its total $18 billion revenue. Merchandising added over $2 billion. If Kelce continues selling significantly more jerseys, the NFL could gain tens of millions more.

Even a small uptick in ratings or attendance due to the Swift factor could generate additional billions over upcoming seasons. “Everything is quantifiable when it comes to the NFL’s bottom line,” said Conrad. “Swift’s fame almost certainly translates to dollars.”

Unsavory news also pads the NFL’s pockets at times. Players’ legal troubles and scandals become fodder for sports talk shows debating league discipline. “Any athlete controversy or incident the NFL can exploit for ratings or leverage in negotiations is essentially found money,” said David Carter, head of USC’s Marshall Sports Business Institute.

With figures like Swift and Kelce, however, the revenue streams are far more positive. Their clean-cut images cultivate feel-good storylines versus polarizing scandals. “This young power couple offers the NFL a golden PR and financial opportunity,” Carter said. “Swift especially broadens Kelce’s appeal beyond football.”

Rishe of Washington University expects the league to keep profiting off this headline-grabbing relationship as long as it lasts. “Swift’s fame gives the NFL a chance to attract whole new demographics,” he said. “That translates into hefty short and long-term revenues.”