ESPN Says Taylor Swift Coming to Travis Kelce’s Games ‘Definitely Helped’ Viewership

Mar. 15, 2025

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.Photo:Michael Owens/Getty

Michael Owens/Getty

Taylor SwiftandTravis Kelce’s relationship is a win for everyone!

“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,” Omar Roja, social content host at ESPN told reporters, including PEOPLE.

Roja said Swift’s impact on the spike in viewership wasn’t “as big” as the season went on, but her attendance and broadcast appearance potential “definitely helped” the network’s numbers — “especially when it came to TikTok,” said Roja, adding, “We were reaching fans that maybe [we] wouldn’t have before.”

Flora Kelly, ESPN’s vice president of research, answered the question about Swift during the media day too, focusing more on the “larger concept of sports halo” and comparing “impact on NFL ratings because of Travis and Taylor” to Deion Sanders taking over as coach in Colorado and “Caitlin Clark sparking what we saw with women’s college basketball.”

Taylor Swift with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at Chiefs game.Jim McIsaac/Getty

Jim McIsaac/Getty

“I’ve been doing this for 17 years. I’ve never seen this before,” said Kelly, who added she would categorize each of three examples as “social assets” in a “fanatic business.”

“But it’s also helping us thrive our linear business as well,” Kelly continued. “It is, again, the first year I’ve ever seen this, where you’re starting to see culture and social media really spark that attention factor. And I wouldn’t just isolate it to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.”

It’s no secret that Swift’s attendance boosted viewership of Kansas City Chiefs games last season. What’s even more apparent is the way Swift has catapulted Kelce and his crew into superstardom since she and the tight end started dating.

A Kansas City Chiefs fan holds a campaign sign for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in the stands prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.Kevin Sabitus/Getty

Kevin Sabitus/Getty

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Also in attendance at ESPN’s media day was Travis' big brotherJason Kelce, who joins the ESPN commentating crew this season after announcing his retirement from football on March 4. Travis has a handful of entertainment projects in the works — including a role inHappy Gilmore 2and hostingAre You Smarter than a Celebrity?— and the brothers just signed alandmark nine-figure, three-year dealwith Amazon’s Wondery to distribute their podcast,New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.

Travis and the Chiefs kick off their season on Sept. 5 when they host the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium.

source: people.com