Donna Kelce, mother of Travis and Jason Kelce, talks to Fox News Digital about her partnership with Barefoot Wine, among other things.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have put Kansas City back on the map following the COVID-19 crisis, as their budding relationship has drawn eyes from across the country to the all-American city.
Swift and Kelce made headlines when the global pop star performed at the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s family suite at the game against the Chicago Bears on September 24, shocking the nation with their new romance. Swift has since attended a handful of games in support of her new beau, including a celebrity-filled appearance at the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on October 1. At every game, Swift has been photographed wearing Kansas City Chiefs gear.
Since then, fans have been flocking to Kansas City-area stores looking for Swift and Kelce-style clothing to wear to games as ticket prices have seemingly skyrocketed.
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Taylor Swift makes her first appearance at a Kansas City Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on September 24, 2023. (David Eulitt/Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We had a lot of Taylor Swift fans who are now new Chiefs fans, and we have Chiefs fans who are now suddenly Taylor Swift fans coming in to buy whatever jerseys they can get their hands on Xavier Ross, RAYGUN’s manager, told Business Insider.
According to Ross, shirts bearing the name Kelce or Swift are consistently among the top five best-selling items each week, including one that reads “Go Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend!”
“Their presence and involvement in the Chiefs community has brought Kansas City into the national spotlight in a way that hasn’t been the case in a long time,” said Megan Folmsbee, store manager at Westside Storey.
Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce with his mother Donna Kelce. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
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Taylor Swift wears Kansas City Chiefs gear while watching her boyfriend Travis Kelce play football. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Kansas City had already seen a dramatic rebound in its economy before Swift and Kelce made their relationship public with stops on the singer-songwriter’s Eras Tour. According to Visit KC, Swift’s two shows in July at Arrowhead Stadium brought the city $47.8 million in economic impact.
A local Kansas City bakery, Dolce Bakery, began selling Swift-themed cakes ahead of the “Midnights” singer’s tour stops and told Business Insider that the items continued to sell long afterward. Erin Brown, owner of the shop, claimed they sold between 2,000 and 3,000 cakes.
“This has brought us new customers, which is always fun and the goal is always to serve more of our community this way,” Brown said. “I mean, increased sales are a dream for a small business.”
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have dinner at the Waverly Inn on October 15, 2023 in New York City. (Gotham/GC Images / Getty Images)
It’s not just Kansas City businesses that benefit from Swift’s appearances. The NFL has seen an increase in viewership since the pop star began attending Chiefs games.
Many called it the “Taylor Swift effect,” and Kelce’s mother suggested the league is probably “ecstatic.”
“I imagine they would be happy with any new viewership,” she told Fox News Digital, while highlighting her partnership with Barefoot Wines, the NFL’s official wine sponsor. “I mean, how could this be otherwise? Football is fundamentally easy to get into and fun and exciting. The other thing too is that it’s just one of those things that you can get busy with. You don’t do that.” you have to be an expert at it.
“So I think it’s a fun thing for the NFL to get new viewers and I’m sure they’re very happy about it and I can’t imagine they would have a problem with that at all.”
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are seen holding hands in New York City. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s relationship has drawn the nation’s attention to Kansas City. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
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