TRENDING: THE TAYLOR SWIFT EFFECT

By: Jesenia Chatman & Emma Sievert

Taylor Swift has taken the world of music by storm. With 10 albums that stretch across various genres, she has collected fans from every background, causing her to become one of the most popular superstars in recent years. Her fans, also known as “Swifties”, are her loyal army. Supporting her in everything she does, there is no fear of Swift losing popularity as long as she keeps putting out music!

While her Eras Tour has caught a lot of attention, one unsuspecting group has found themselves on Swifties’ radar, football fans.

Who Is Travis Kelce?

If you're not a football fan, you may not be familiar with NFL player Travis Kelce. After winning Super Bowls LIV and LVII with the Kansas City Chiefs and appearing in commercials from Bud Light to State Farm, Kelce has made a big name for himself. His name stood out enough to catch the eye of Swift, but not until after a sweet attempt to get her attention.

So how did the pop superstar and NFL player meet? Swifties first spotted Kelce attending the Eras Tour show at Arrowhead Stadium in July. Since then, Kelce has talked about Swift on his Podcast New Heights, which he co-hosts with his brother. He shared an endearing story of how he made a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it for her, but was disappointed when she never met up with him. Despite secret sightings and speculation, there was no concrete evidence of a relationship. The most recent public sighting created a full circle moment when Swift was invited to the Chief’s week 3 football game at the same stadium that started their *alleged* love story. The pop star can be seen cheering alongside Kelce’s mom in a suit with the rest of the Kelce family.

Taylor, Travis, and The NFL

Since Swift’s appearance at a Chiefs game and sparking dating rumors, the NFL has seen a huge spike in ticket sales, merchandise, and viewership. The Jets, who played against the Chiefs this past Sunday, saw sky-high ticket sales in a single day more than double the previous record for this season. NBC Sports and Peacock averaged approximately 27 million viewers for the Jets vs. Chiefs game which ranks as the most-watched Sunday show since the Superbowl. NFL’s official e-commerce partner, Fanatics, said they saw a 400% spike in sales for Travis Kelce jerseys after Swift was spotted at a recent game.

Kelce, who spoke about the recent publicity the two are bringing to the NFL and global internet, had this to say on his podcast New Heights, “I brought all this attention to me,” he says. “What’s real is that it is my personal life and I want to respect both of our lives”.

Kelce's response to this overwhelming spotlight is refreshing and genuine. Despite the positive aspects of this possible relationship, many question the blind support of Swifties and non-football fans. This uproar in interest due to a name being correlated to Swift has coined the title the "Taylor Swift Effect". The phenomenon people are calling the “Taylor Swift Effect '' and its global impact has been questioned now more than ever.

What is the Taylor Swift Effect?

Taylor’s national influence isn’t something new to the public. In past instances, we can see where the global pop star has made an impact on the music industry. Back in 2014, Swift removed her music catalog from the streaming service Spotify completely until 2017 because of her disapproval of low royalty payouts for artists during their free trial plan. This has led other artists to voice their complaints about the ways they are being paid for their music and has sparked up debate and a need for change in the music streaming industry.

Vinyl records, which used to be a popular way to listen to music spanning the 1950s through the 1980s, have recently made a comeback. Since 2021 Vinyl Records have been out-selling CDs which, not coincidentally, occurred around the same time Taylor Swift’s previous album “Red” topped number 1 in first-week vinyl sales.

Is this the pop star’s own influence or do Swifties seem to be following blindly behind Swift and all of her endeavors? Well, it’s a mix of both. She has been known to stay true to her values and voice her own opinions. So a lot of people, including her fans, really respect that about her and want to support the things she believes in.

The Effect Doesn’t Stop at a Breakup

Whether one loves it or not, Swift is known for making amazing breakup songs; the type that incites runny mascara while dancing the sadness away.

The source of inspiration for her songs has been widely assumed to come from her past relationships. For instance, the song Maroon from her recent album Midnights is suspected to be about the singer Harry Styles who has a few songs dedicated to him in her earlier album, 1989. The song touches on themes of heartbreak and long distance which caused listeners to wonder if their brief relationship didn’t end on the best of terms. Any relationship she gets into will always be remembered by Swifties, making it impossible to get away with a secretive romantic bond. Even years later, the singer or her fans will find a way to reflect on the time she spent with the men she has loved long before.

So is dating Taylor Swift playing a dangerous game? Is it too early to start coming up with ship names for the pop superstar and NFL player? Possibly. But one thing’s for sure, Swifties will continue supporting their number 1 pop star through all her romantic endeavors and this one is no different.

Having seen the influence Swift has on the nation and there is no doubt Kelce is feeling it too. Hopefully, the two can continue to build a beautiful connection.

If it doesn't work, then most Swifties will be looking forward to hearing new music from the singer and speculating where her inspiration just might have come from.

"Karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me" - "Karma" from "Midnights"