Taylor Swift Affects Travis Kelce's Jersey Sales, FOX's Ratings

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The Taylor Swift effect is very real.

The singer's presence at the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 3 home win against the Chicago Bears reportedly led to a significant boost in viewership, as well as merchandise sales and the social media presence of tight end Travis Kelce amid speculation of a potential relationship between the two.

A spokesperson for the sports apparel website Fanatics told the Associated Press that Kelce's jersey sales saw "a nearly 400% spike" since Swift appeared as his guest in an Arrowhead Stadium luxury box alongside his mother, Donna Kelce, on Sunday (September 24). The All-Pro tight end also gained more than 383,000 new followers on Instagram since Sunday's game, while the Chiefs sold more tickets in a single day since the start of the season, according to Front Office Sports.

Additionally, the Bears-Chiefs matchup, which was FOX Sports' 'America's Game of the Week,' was the most-watched telecast of any network, reportedly ranking first in the female 12-17, 18-34, 18-49 and 2-plus demos.

On Monday (September 25), TMZ reported that Swift and Kelce hung out "several times" in a "very private setting" prior to Swift attending Kelce's game at Arrowhead Stadium. The website said Swift, 33, and Kelce, 33, aren't "officially" dating, but claimed the singer got along "very well" with the tight end's mother, Donna Kelce, when the two were spotted together in a luxury suite during the Chiefs' 41-10 win against the Chicago Bears in Week 3.

Donna Kelce was reported to have described Swift as a "lovely person" after meeting her. Swift reportedly hasn't met Travis' brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, according to the source.

The singer's appearance at Arrowhead Stadium came days after Kelce confirmed that he had invited her to a game amid reports that the two had been "quietly hanging out" while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show last Thursday (September 21).

Jarrett Payton, the son of late Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bears all-time leading rusher Walter Payton, shared a video of Swift walking out of Arrowhead Stadium with Kelce after Sunday's game.

"Talk about being at the right place at the right time! Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving Arrowhead together after the game. #Bears #ChiefsKingdom #NFL," Payton wrote on his X account.

Earlier this month, a source claiming to have knowledge of the situation told The Messenger.com that Kelce was "quietly hanging out" with Swift recently.

"Taylor and Travis have been quietly hanging out," the source said. "She saw him when she was in NYC a few weeks ago."

Kelce had previously claimed that he made a bracelet with his phone number on the beads and unsuccessfully attempted to give it to Swift when he attended her Eras Tour in July.

"I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings, so I was a little butthurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her," Kelce explained to his brother on their New Heights podcast in July.


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