Travis Kelce could earn millions more thanks to the Taylor Swift effect, as experts say he could double or triple endorsement paydays
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- Travis Kelce is definitely loving the game.
- Since Taylor Swift was spotted cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end on Sunday, his profile has skyrocketed.
- One expert suggests Kelce's newfound stardom could help him earn an extra $5 million off the field this year.
Travis Kelce may be best known to NFL fans for catching touchdowns, but his biggest win of the season may happen off the gridiron, thanks to the Swiftie effect.
After social media posts earlier this month ignited speculation, rumors of a relationship between the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift have been heating up. They reached a peak this weekend when the pop star was spotted cheering on Kelce's team at Arrowhead Stadium alongside his mother Donna.
Whether the relationship is a real love story, a PR stunt, or something in between doesn't really matter when it comes to one thing: financial gains in the millions for Kelce.
Since Sunday, Kelce has gained more than half a million Instagram followers, according to data from SocialBlade. Sales of Kelce merchandise — including jerseys, fatheads, and onesies — spiked 400% on Fanatics' network of sites on Sunday, the company told the Associated Press, earning him a spot as one of the top five sellers of the weekend. "New Heights," Kelce's podcast with his brother, Jason, has climbed the charts and is now the number one show on Apple Podcasts.
All of this means big money for the two-time Super Bowl champion and one-time "Saturday Night Live" host.
"It's estimated Kelce currently makes around $5 million a year in off-the-field earnings, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doubles that number," Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst at Pinnacle Advertising, told Insider. "Kelce was already one of football's most successful endorsers before his hot romance, but now he's sizzling hot — swiftly grabbing the attention and buying power of a whole new fan base and demographic."
The merchandise sales translate directly to cash: Thanks to a deal negotiated by the NFL Players Association, athletes earn royalties on any merch — jerseys, playing cards, video games — that bears their name, image, and likeness.
Tom Brady, for example, earned $9.5 million in licensing income in the 12 months ending February 28, 2022, according to the NFLPA's 2022 filing with the US Department of Labor. Kelce's teammate, Patrick Mahomes, made $3.3 million in the same time frame.
Kelce's new social media followers, meanwhile, could mean a payoff that lasts longer than a quick fling.
Though NFL players earn less than some other athletes in endorsement deals, those who have mastered marketing can score quite a payday. Mahomes, for example, will bring in $25 million off the field this year, Sportico reported, and most of that will come from endorsements.
Kelce's big-name sponsors include Nike, Pfizer, and State Farm. As he's moved up the social media ranks — he now has 3.4 million followers, compared with Mahomes' 5.8 million — his earnings could multiply.
Sports influencer marketing agency OpenSponsorship anticipates his rates for social media endorsements could increase "3-5x," OpenSponsorship CEO Ishveen Jolly told Insider over email. A "good tight end," like Kelce, could command low-to-mid six figures per deal, she added.
"We are already seeing more interest in brands around Travis because he's tapping into a new audience of Taylor's," Jolly wrote.
Swift, by comparison, has 272 million followers on Instagram, and it's likely many of them have different interests frp, Kelce's typical fans. If the relationship lasts, Dorfman said, it's possible Kelce will break into new sponsorship categories that appeal more to her young, female base, like beauty or fashion.
Plus, if the Kelces' podcast remains popular, with Swifties tuning in for any details on the pair's potential romance, the ad dollars could pile up.
"Sometimes, these moments can be distracting to an athlete, but with the proper structure in place, it is a great opportunity to maximize a moment for deal flow," Chase Garrett, CEO of endorsement marketplace Icon Source, told Insider in an email. He likened the spotlight to those of Olympic athletes "who get thrust into unforgettable moments."
(On this week's episode of "New Heights," Kelce said he would not be commenting any longer on his relationship with Swift in an effort to maintain his and her privacy. That may explain why his representatives did not respond to a request for comment from Insider.)
Swift's economic impact is known all too well
Swift's economic impact is nothing new. Her Eras Tour could generate $4.6 billion in consumer spending.
For over two decades, there was the Oprah effect: Everything — and everyone — Oprah Winfrey touched turned to gold. Think about brands like Spanx and Carol's Daughter, which all became household names, and people, like Dr. Oz and Toni Morrison, who reached huge new audiences, after being featured on Winfrey's show.
Swift has had the same impact for a number of years. While she, herself, is the biggest beneficiary of her popularity — her Eras tour is set to gross more than $1 billion — the products and people she interacts with often experience spikes in popularity.
The day after Swift was spotted in a pair of bejeweled jeans in April, the $673 pants sold out, Billboard reported. The same thing happened to a dress she wore on TikTok. (So far, the New Balances she sported in Kelce's private box are still available.)
Her paramours have seemingly benefited from her success, too. Her longtime partner Joe Alwyn, for example, scored a Prada campaign the year after the two started dating; many write-ups of the deal referred to him as "Taylor Swift's boyfriend."
Who knows how this will all turn out for Swift and Kelce. They may not even be an item by the time the next Chiefs game — though thanks to Swift, who's reportedly planning to attend, that match-up has broken a sales record for their opponent, the Jets, Town and Country reported. But for Kelce, the romance, or whatever it is, could be fruitful beyond his wildest dreams.
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