Taylor Swift effect: Travis Kelce jersey sales spike 400%, Chiefs' TV ratings rise

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce didn't crack the top 10 of the NFL's best-selling jerseys for 2022, but after three weeks he might have already captured the crown for the entire 2023 season, thanks to Taylor Swift.

A spokesperson for apparel manufacturer Fanatics told The Associated Press that sales of Kelce's jersey blew up Sunday with "a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com."

Kelce had a nice day on the field with seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown during a 41-10 rout of the Chicago Bears. But having Swift, a 12-time Grammy Award winner, sitting in an Arrowhead Stadium suite with his mom, Donna, and cameras catching her numerous reaction shots was a big factor in the sales boost.

After the game, Kelce did not speak to the media but was spotted leaving the stadium with Swift before the two drove away in a convertible.

The dinner Kelce and Swift reportedly had came after months of courting by Kelce who, after rumors began bubbling up that the two were dating, went on "The Pat McAfee Show" last week and revealed he had put the invitation out there.

"I threw the ball in her court and told her, 'I've seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit,' " Kelce said.

It's the love story that is all the rage around the NFL — so much so that even famous curmudgeon Bill Belichick had an opinion about the potential relationship: "I would say that Travis Kelce has had a lot of big catches in his career. This would be the biggest."

TV rating also spikes

Jersey sales weren't the only thing benefiting from Swift's appearance. Fox Sports announced Tuesday that Sunday's Bears-Chiefs game drew the highest rating of the week for any network with 24.3 million viewers tuning in.

Noticeable was how much of an impact Swift had on the female demographic in terms of watching what was quickly a one-sided football game, and a game where in a number of markets Fox turned away from after a 34-0 halftime score.