On October 1st, 2023, Taylor Swift was responsible for an increase of over
women viewers on Sunday Night Football , marking the highest regular-season viewership among women since the NFL began tracking the metric in 2000.
Bringing new fans to football from all ages and genders, Taylor Swift has been able to represent a seismic shift in the art of attracting a new audience. For those who who weren’t interested in the NFL or even sports like “Super Swiftie” Lauren Grauer, the 11-time Grammy winning pop star’s romance with one of the league’s most popular players meant a new reason to get involved.
Especially, when “Taylor’s Boyfriend” made it to the biggest game of the year.
“Normally, I would go to Super Bowl parties just to hang out. But this year me and my other friend who’s like a big Swifty, were the only people rooting for the Chiefs at our party and I’ve never felt joy like that. When I saw them win I was so excited and I knew nothing about football. We were like screaming because we has so much fun”
Lauren Grauer, Taylor Swift Fan
And super fans weren’t the only ones who took notice. Mike Davies, Vice President of Programming at Fox Sports, recognized the immense power that Swift held not just on fans interested in football, but instead on TV networks ability to reach a new and highly desired audience.
“What’s been different about Taylor Swift? Well, I think that that, that the game has largely stayed the same. But now, we have that celebrity appearance, that extra elevation, and that extra on ramp for people who wouldn’t ordinarily watch the NFL, and even staying through an entire game.”
“How many people actually stay and watch the whole game? I’m not really sure. But you know, I’ll bet it’s a lot more with Taylor Swift than then without Taylor Swift, particularly on those those new demographics.”
Michael Davies, Fox Sports
Following the romance, The NFL would record its highest yearly viewership average since 2016. Super Bowl LVIII, which Kelce won and Swift attended, was the most watched U.S telecast since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon in 1969.
And if literally jumping over the moon landing wasn’t already enough, the game would become
paving the way for some of the most creative advertisements of all time.
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