Two More Weeks of Taylor Swift is Good for the NFL

Article ByKyle Garlett

January 29, 2024

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Posted in: US Sports Betting News, US Gambling News

Conspiracy theories abound. The NFL wanted the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl this year because they wanted Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl.

That is all probably true. The desire to have one of the most famous women on the planet, wearing NFL gear, appearing at NFL games, and talking with NFL players is obviously good for the league. The conspiracy theories lose the plot just a bit when they claim manipulation by the league to get the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. They were, after all, in the Super Bowl last year, seven months before Swift attended her first game at Arrowhead.

But with the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, and two more weeks to talk about the most talked-about couple in the NFL, money is to be made.

Two of the Biggest Brands in the World

The 32 NFL franchises have a total value of $163 billion. The current television and streaming contracts with ABC/ESPN, Fox, CBS, Amazon, YouTube, NBC, and NFL Network pays the league $13.3 billion annually. Teams make in the neighborhood of $10 million on average for each home game.

This year, Super Bowl betting is expected to reach a record $1.3 billion in wagers. The majority of that will be placed at regulated online sportsbooks. Last year’s record take was $1.03 billion.

But even such a big financial behemoth can use a boost from time to time, and that is what it is getting from Taylor Swift and her army of Swifties.

Apex Marketing Group estimates that the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift romance is worth $330 million to the Chiefs and the NFL, up from an estimated $166 million in October.

The majority of that brand value comes from online news and digital content. Social media posts have also added a significant amount of value to the league. And you can’t see a Chiefs highlight without also seeing at least a few seconds of Swift in the luxury suite.

No word on how much value has been added by a shirtless Jason Kelce shot-gunning beers, also in that suite.

Women, the Fastest-Growing NFL Fan Base

The NFL estimates that its female fans are at the highest level since it began tracking them in 2000. Young fans have increased, and male fans have increased by 6%, according to the league. But female fans are up 9%, and the league estimates that half of its viewers and fans are now women.

Not all of those new female fans are Swifties, of course. But the Swifties that are tuning in to the NFL are also giving the league money outside of their viewership. Kelce’s jersey sales jumped 400% after he was first linked to Taylor Swift, and after Swift was seen wearing a custom Kelce jacket made by Kristin Juszczyk (the wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk), her social media followers jumped by 500,000.

Expect to see a slew of Kristin’s custom puffer jackets at the Super Bowl in two weeks, even if the Las Vegas weather doesn’t call for it.

A survey by Adtaxi says that 29% of Swifties are more likely to follow football because of her relationship with Kelce, and they are three times as likely to buy sports merchandise because of the couple. They also say they are twice as likely to watch the Super Bowl.

Will Swift be in Vegas?

Taylor Swift was at the playoff game in Kansas City when it was a frozen tundra. She was in Buffalo when the tundra was only slightly less frozen. She was also in Baltimore this past Sunday for the Chiefs win over the Ravens to win the AFC Championship. But will she be in Las Vegas?

There is no confirmation that Swift will be in Vegas to watch Super Bowl LVIII. She has a concert tour that resumes in Tokyo for consecutive shows on February 7, 8, 9, and 10. The Super Bowl is February 11. But, and this is an important but, Las Vegas is 17 hours behind Tokyo, and a 12-hour flight away.

Swift can leave Tokyo on Saturday night and get to Las Vegas when it is still Saturday. That would give her time to catch up on some sleep, and still make the game, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Her tour continues in Australia on February 16, which gives her plenty of time to celebrate a possible Super Bowl win with Kelce, and even have him join her down under after he attends a victory parade.

The NFL surely hopes that all of the above happens. Everything she touches turns to gold/green.