NFL commissioner calls Taylor Swift an 'unbelievable artist,' after network viewership among girls sees a 53% increase
David J. Phillip/AP/Jason Hanna/Getty Images
- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told CBS that Taylor Swift's musical talent is "obvious."
- Goodell said Swift's romance with NFL tight end Travis Kelce has boosted game viewership.
- When Swift attended her first Chiefs game to see Kelce, there was a 53% increase in female viewers between the ages of 12 and 17.
Taylor Swift could have an unexpected fan in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Ahead the NFL's three-game lineup on Thanksgiving Day, Goodell told CBS Mornings that Swift's involvement with NFL player Travis Kelce has benefited the league.
"[Swift is] an unbelievable artist, obviously, Travis is an unbelievable player, and I think it's great for the league to have that kind of attention — so we welcome it," Goodell told CBS Mornings.
Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, was rumored to be dating Swift in late September, when she accepted Kelce's invitation to attend one of his games, Business Insider previously reported.
As their whirlwind romance progressed, Swift attended three more of Kelce's games, including one where she was pictured cheering alongside Kelce's mother Donna Kelce.
Swift and the NFL star have also been pictured holding hands during date night and embracing backstage at Swift's concert in Buenos Aires. In a new Wall Street Journal profile, Kelce praised Swift for being "a genius."
In early October, Kelce said the NFL's on-screen coverage of Swift at his games felt like a bit much. But the strategy appears to be working,
When Swift attended an October 2 game where the Chiefs played the New York Jets, it was the most-watched NFL game since the Super Bowl in February. Viewership peaked at an estimated 29 million during the game, according to Forbes. An estimated 113 million viewers watched the Super Bowl, Forbes reported.
Goodell theorized that Swift fans specifically could have something to do with the uptick in NFL game views.
"They seem to be enjoying their relationship. That's great in and of itself, but it has connected more fans of Taylor's and more fans of the NFL in some ways," Goodell told CBS Mornings.
According to NBC, the October 2 Chiefs-Jets game garnered 2 million more female viewers compared to the three previous weeks of games. NFL game viewership among girls between the ages of 12 and 17 increased by 53% during that time period, NBC reported.
Though Swift and Kelce's romance appears to be action-packed on and off-screen, Kelce said he would be without Swift for Thanksgiving, Business Insider previously reported.
On his podcast New Heights, the NFL star said he would instead spend the holiday alone, save for a bucket of fried chicken.
"I'll be feasting on KFC because I won't have anybody here," Kelce said.