How the NFL (and Netflix) Stole Christmas From the NBA
Music sensation Taylor Swift plans to attend the Sunday Night showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets, sources tell Front Office Sports.
It would be the second straight week Swift showed up in person to support Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Having Swift on camera could produce a TV ratings blockbuster for NBC Sports’ “Sunday Night Football.”
It should also drive up ticket prices, with fans hoping to get a live glimpse of the global superstar.
Swift’s attendance would electrify millions of “Swifties,” who hang on her every personal appearance, rumored romance and concert.
With Fox Sports giddily cutting to shots of the 12-time Grammy winner cheering Kelce from a luxury box at Arrowhead Stadium, the network drew 24.3 million viewers for its telecast of the Chiefs’ 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
That made it the most-watched NFL game on any network for Week 3.
The national broadcast was also the highest-rated game of the week among female viewers for three advertiser-coveted demographics: females 12-17 years old, females 18-34 years old, and females 18-49 years old.
Fox sideline reporter Erin Andrews asked Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes about playing in front of the singer.
“I heard she was in the house…So I knew I had to get it to Travis,” said Mahomes, referring to the late touchdown pass to his favorite target.
There are plenty of reasons for Swift to attend an NFL game for the second straight week.
She owns multiple properties in New York City and sings about the Big Apple in songs like “Welcome To New York.” Her “Eras” tour schedule is also open this weekend.
Since publicly supporting Kelce last Sunday night, Swift has further raised the profile of the two-time Super Bowl winner. That will boost Kelce’s post NFL career prospects as he eyes announcing, acting and entertainment.
Consider the business impact of “Swifties” joining the NFL fan base over the past week:
- Fanatics saw a 400% spike in Kelce jersey sales, making him a top 5 seller in the league.
- Kelce’s podcast with his brother Jason, “New Heights,” ranks No. 1 on the Apple charts.
- Kelce added 383,000 followers on Instagram.
- There’s been a three-time increase in Chiefs ticket searches on StubHub.
- The team sold more tickets in a single day since the start of the season.
Swift might not be the only celebrity in attendance Sunday night. Injured Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hinted to Pat McAfee he could be at the game to rally the troops, according to ProFootballTalk.
Rodgers was spotted dancing at a Swift concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey earlier this year.
As Owen Poindexter said about “The Swift Effect” on the “Front Office Sports Today” podcast: “The NFL is arguably the biggest media property in the world – but it’s still no Taylor Swift.”
