Taylor Swift’s Influential Impact: Could She Amplify the Already-Massive Super Bowl Ratings?

Last year, the Super Bowl had 113 million viewers. If we combine that with Taylor Swift, who sold about 3.3 million tickets for her Eras Tour and over 6 million albums, and whose songs were streamed a whopping 16.5 billion times in the U.S., how many fans might tune in to the big game? The answer is unknown, but this scenario could become a reality on Feb. 11 if Taylor’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs win their playoff game this weekend.

Anything Taylor Swift touches seems to get a boost in popularity, whether it’s donuts in Kansas City or hotels in Philadelphia. Her appearances during Chiefs games led to a 400% increase in sales of Kelce jerseys in one day and an extra 2 million female viewers for Sunday Night Football in October, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The NFL has been cautious in welcoming this new demographic, trying not to overwhelm football enthusiasts. Rick Porter, who covers TV and ratings for THR, expects the NFL to continue this strategy for the big game. He predicts that if Kelce and the Chiefs (and Taylor) make it to the Super Bowl, the week leading up to the event will focus on their romance rather than typical football drama.

Could Super Bowl viewership increase? Porter suggests a potential “Taylor Swift Effect” that could push the numbers from 115 million to 130 million, “or something ridiculous like that.” He notes that it would be a significant surprise, considering the Super Bowl is already a massive event. However, breaking records is Taylor Swift’s specialty, as her Eras Tour grossed over $900 million last year, making it one of the highest-earning tours ever, according to Billboard estimates.