TITLE:
Pop Culture Meets Pigskin: The Swift-Kelce Effect on NFL Jersey Sales
AUTHORS:
Elisabeth A. Arthur
KEYWORDS:
Celebrity Influence, NFL Marketing, Jersey Sales, Sports Merchandise, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Cross-Industry Branding
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.2,
March
6,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study investigates the economic and marketing impact of Taylor Swift’s high-profile relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce on Kansas City Chiefs jersey sales. Leveraging sales data, media coverage, and social media engagement metrics from July 2023 to February 2024, the research applies an interrupted time series design to examine shifts in consumer behavior following Swift’s first NFL appearance in September 2023. Findings reveal a significant uptick in Travis Kelce jersey sales coinciding with the pre-registered media events defined in the methodology, suggesting that these events are associated with shifts in merchandise consumption patterns. This paper contributes to the sports marketing literature by highlighting the economic potential of cross-industry celebrity affiliations and offers practical implications for brand partnerships and fan engagement strategies.