ESPN Reveals Ratings 'Taylor Swift Bump' After Travis Kelce Relationship
ESPN is confirming what most NFL fans who watched last season's broadcasts already realized -- Taylor Swift is good for business.
The pop superstar drew huge attention when she started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce last year, then attracted plenty of screen time when she attended his games throughout the season and through their Super Bowl win.
Omar Roja, social content host at ESPN, spoke about Swift's effect on ratings at the network's media day on August 28. Roja said Swift's relationship with Kelce helped bring a surge in ratings.
"Being in the weeds of it, I think in the beginning there was definitely a big Taylor Swift bump, especially I think the Chicago Bears-Chiefs game where she first showed up," Roja said, via People magazine.
While the television ratings surge died down a bit as the season went on, Roja revealed that the network helped bring in fans on other platforms like TikTok.
"We were reaching fans that maybe [we] wouldn't have before," he said.
Taylor Swift looks on before Super Bowl LVIII between Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The "Taylor Swift bump" extended beyond ESPN's own ratings, helping boost the profile of Kelce and his brother, now-retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. The pair just landed a three-year distribution deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their "New Heights" podcast that is reportedly worth more than $100 million.
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