During a typical Super Bowl, the average consumer cares about three things: the game itself, the halftime show, and the ads. But this year, Taylor Swift’s attendance stirred up some additional excitement. The global superstar attended the event to support her partner Travis Kelce, who plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
This year, Swift attended 13 games. Due to her consistent presence throughout the season, Swifties both flooded into stadiums and flocked to their televisions to catch a glimpse of the star. This surge of new stadium goers and viewers made this season a record year for the NFL. The phenomenon sent football die-hards reeling — even during the biggest game of the season.
With record-high statistics of 123.7 million viewers — the most in television history — there is no doubt that the NFL lined its pockets well this season. The franchise additionally came away with a record 600 million dollars in advertisem*nt revenue alone. For a couple of screen grabs of Swift — a total of 12 during the entire Super Bowl — the NFL understood the importance of putting the spotlight on their acclaimed guest for their new fanbase.
Swift wasn’t the only big name to grace the Super Bowl. Others in attendance included Beyoncé — who dropped two new singles during the game — Elon Musk, LeBron James, Lady Gaga, Khloé Kardashian, and many others. And of course, this list would not be complete without the halftime show performers themselves, including Usher, Alicia Keys, H.E.R, Lil John, Jermaine Dupri, and will.i.am.
Overall, people are generally obsessed with drama and conflict. Talk is cheap when the story is good, and when a global artist attends her lover’s biggest game, it is typically a great story. But Swifties tuning into the Super Bowl are not an anomaly. There have always been a mix of arts and football fans at Super Bowls, and there always will be. The halftime show brings in tens of millions of viewers — with 82 percent of the total 123.7 million tuning in this year — making it the largest live broadcast event in which a musician can perform. In terms of viewership, the game itself is also one of the largest in the United States. Due to its magnitude, the game’s atmosphere will always contain a particular tension between fan groups.
However, it seems that Swift’s influence surpasses the realm of music and even the game of football itself. She helped make the Super Bowl more influential, introducing an entirely new fanbase to the sport as well as football fans to her own work.
Fans on both sides had better buckle up. While this may be the first time such a star has impacted the Super Bowl in this way, it certainly won’t be the last.
