It goes without saying that celebrities have a lot of influence. They influence what people buy, eat and wear. In recent years, celebrities have even been influencing what sports teams fans cheer for.
The most prevalent of these occurrences has been Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs. After word of Swift and star tight end Travis Kelce dating surfaced, National Football League (NFL) viewer ratings skyrocketed. The NFL, particularly Chiefs games, started posting their highest numbers since 2015 according to the Wall Street Journal. Viewership from teenage girls jumped 53% in these games as well. The NFL’s viewership as a whole rose 7%, mostly due to Chiefs games.
“I think it’s bad [that Taylor comes to games], while it brings a new audience to football, it brings them in for all the wrong reasons,” sophomore Andrew Wolfe said. “[Her attendance] draws people away from the football aspect of the NFL.”
Outside of just watching the game, many fans began spending money on merchandise to further support their favorite artist’s boyfriend. Kelce’s jersey sales spiked 400%. According to ESPN, Kelce could earn a bonus of $10 million from jersey sales alone thanks to what many are calling the “Taylor Swift Effect.” Kelce jerseys sold out within minutes of restock on the NFL website. Fans quickly took to the resale market in search of the coveted article of clothing.
Celebrity influence on sports doesn’t stop at Swift, however. When Megan Thee Stallion, a popular rapper, threw out the first pitch at a Houston Astros Major League Baseball (MLB) game on March 30, 2023, the Astros recorded their highest viewership since 2017. It was also the MLB’s most-viewed regular season game in three years. People who attended the game just for Megan also decided to leave after the first pitch, despite paying the full amount for a seat. Some people are more interested in the celebrities in attendance at sports events than the actual game being played.
As for basketball, another popular rapper Aubrey Drake Graham, more commonly known as Drake, is a Toronto Raptors fan. He’s such a huge fan that he actually owns some of the team. Games that Drake is scheduled to attend sell out almost instantly, especially during the Raptors 2019 finals series. Additionally, Drake’s brand OVO is one of the team’s jersey sponsors. After this partnership was revealed, jersey sales went through the roof. Was this because of the hype around a new jersey or just because Drake’s brand is the sponsor? Based on previously stated incidents, the answer is obvious.
Some fans are more interested in the culture and celebrities associated with a team than the actual team itself. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it sure is confusing for most sports fans. Whether fans are in attendance for the atmosphere or the game itself, the support remains the same. Jerseys will continue to be sold and stadiums will continue to sell-out. No matter why fans support, for the overall betterment of the game, let’s all hope there is always something to cheer for.
Some fans are more interested in the culture and celebrities associated with a team than the actual team itself. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it sure is confusing for most sports fans. Whether fans are in attendance for the atmosphere or the game itself, the support remains the same. Jerseys will continue to be sold and stadiums will continue to sell-out. No matter why fans support, for the overall betterment of the game, let’s all hope there is always something to cheer for.