Months ago, it was already clear that 2023 was going to be a banner year for country-turned-pop star Taylor Swift.

Her Eras tour was fast becoming one of the greatest pop culture sensations of the new decade. And she was aggressively seeking to expand her fan base from millennials who came of age to her soundtrack to Generation Z (and of course oldsters too).

Now, the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce romance has mesmerized Swifties around the world – and created a sudden marriage of America’s most popular sport with its most popular singer.

“People, by and large, seem to support Taylor’s new relationship,” says Steven Chen, professor of marketing at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business, a Swiftie, and a researcher and observer of all things pop culture marketing.

“It may be because Kelce is a different profile from Taylor’s past relationships. Travis is a sports athlete in his prime that is on a team in its prime. He is hyper-masculinity embodied and is what many American boys want to be when they grew up. I feel the romance with an American football star makes Taylor more approachable and down to earth. It’s a classic American love story. Everyone resonates with it, even her cynics, though they will never admit it!”

Earlier in 2023, Steven Chen shared his perspectives on the Eras tour in an April 14 blog post. He used the product lifecycle – a mainstay in the marketing field – to divine Taylor’s future and explain her past.

The Business of the Taylor-NFL Relationship

On the business side of things, Chen says the obvious beneficiary of Taylor’s new relationship is the NFL, which has seen notable TV ratings boosts (especially during Chiefs games), as curious onlookers tune in to get a glimpse of Taylor.

“Taylor brings the NFL a new market segment,” says Chen. “Many of these viewers are young, Gen Z females, which is outside of the league’s traditional purview. The NFL cameras aim to please viewers with their multiple pans to Taylor, especially after big Chiefs plays. How long these fans stick around is a matter of time, but for the time being the impact is real.”

On Oct. 1, a Chiefs vs. Jets game drew 27.5 million viewers, the second most watched game of the year besides the season opener.

And that opens opportunities for the NFL on the advertising end, where they may attract brands targeting the new target market of Gen Z girls and young women.

And for the Chiefs, jersey sales have soared. Kelce’s #86 is up 400%. Increased ticket sales to Chiefs home games have been anecdotally connected to Swfit’s presence.

You might say…things have changed Swiftly!

The Real Beneficiary – Taylor Herself!

As dramatic as these changes have been, it is Taylor herself who is the greatest beneficiary of the media attention, says Chen. Even more than the NFL.

“The timing of this relationship in relation to Taylor’s business moves is uncanny—so much so that one wonders whether the romance is programmed,” says Chen. “Keep in mind that Taylor is in the midst of her renaissance, with multiple product launches.”

That includes the conclusion of the domestic leg of her Eras tour and the impending launch of her international travels. And she has her concert movie Taylor Swift: The Eras tour film that prompted production houses to shift their movie debuts to avoid it. And she’s recently released her #1 Billboard placing 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album.

“From a business perspective, Taylor has a lot of vested interest in remaining in the media spotlight and the Kelce romance does just that,” he says.

“For all intents and purposes, each camera pan to her in an NFL game is a free advertisement, which keeps her fresh in the imaginary of fans around the world. And pragmatically speaking, Taylor has lived on the top of social media, and remains there, since the Eras tour was announced. The Kelce romance and NFL relationship will keep her there for a very long time to come.”