By Christian Radnedge
LONDON (Reuters) -NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has spent many years trying to find ways to recruit new fans of the sport from across the world, but he said the biggest recent marketing tool came from an unlikely source in pop superstar Taylor Swift.
The multi-award-winning American singer began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in 2023 and has been a regular presence at their games, including at Super Bowl LVIII and LIX.
Swift’s army of fans, known as ‘Swifties’, have swelled the audience numbers and interest for the NFL and the ranks of Chiefs supporters, known as ‘Chiefties’, particularly since the singer and Kelce announced their engagement in August.
As the NFL continues to take the game abroad and maximise its reach, Goodell praised the alchemy of Swift’s influence.
“She’s brought a great deal of attention, obviously, to the league and with her fan base, which is a slightly different fan base in the NFL, but it’s brought them into the game,” Goodell told an audience at the Leaders sports business conference.
“And as Taylor said many times, ‘I came in not understanding the game as well as I should have – and I love it’. To see her convert to a fan who really loves the game, I think it’s a great thing for us.
“And so all those young fans that are coming in, it’s a plus for the NFL. So we will take it however we get it!”
With a new album scheduled for release on Friday, “The Life of a Showgirl”, perhaps some traditional NFL fans may have become ‘Swifties’ themselves.
(Reporting by Christian RadnedgeEditing by Toby Davis)
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