Being grossly uninformed about any musician younger than 50, as well as uninformed about most team sports other than baseball, I thought I would ask the knowledgeable folks here this:

Does Taylor Swift need the NFL, or does the NFL need Taylor Swift?

Neither I think.

Taylor doesn't need the NFL but the NFL is greatly benefiting from Taylor.

Mixing two arts is an excellent way of diluting both.

I think neither "needs" the other. But the NFL is likely getting more Taylor fans than Taylor is getting NFL fans.

To me, this is just another version of the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon we saw this summer. People getting worked up about the "marriage" of two unrelated things. We can call this "TraviSwift."

They have been named Traylor!

So any bad gossip about them would be considered Traylor Trash?

Exactly!

The NFL used to own a day of the week. God owned it prior to them. They seem to be on the upswing of late. They will sink or swim either with her or without her.

As for her, I’m doubtful she needs much of anything. All the criticism and she could easily live the rest of her life never selling another song or ticket. Got to admire that.

She seems to be some kind of genius business person. Not always common in the entertainment world.

As someone who doesn't follow the NFL or Swift, what exactly are they doing with each other?

Making more money.

Taylor Swift, like her or not, like it or not, is the hottest music star of the day, probably the generation. She is a true A-lister. Most here are likely unaware of what she has done for the industry, for live performing and entertainment, and industry impact. What she has accomplished and the records she holds/has set are amazing.

Fedora, I strongly suggest that you check out her new concert tour movie in theaters that is coming out. Not so much because of her music as regardless if you like it/her or not, this would be great as a study of and for the live entertainment business. It could likely generate so much for discussion in the Tricky Business section here as there is so much that everyone here as live performers can learn and gain from this.

To more address your specific question, when you take all of this and then combine it with the hottest team in the NFL coming off of their 3rd Superbowl win, with the most popular player in the current NFL (Patrick McHomes) and his number one receiver who is Travis Kelce, who also just happens to currently be dating Taylor Swift, makes for a fantastic and exploding combination for media and pop culture.

I talk about this type of joint impact/crossover and popularity in my Press & Media For Entertainers book as this is a great example of how they both (him, her, and actually the entire NFL) are benefiting from all of this coming from their relationship.

I personally do not expect them to still be together by the holidays or new year, but that doesn't really matter as the gain in interest, popularity, and of course profits will be lasting. There are lessons here that many live performers can benefit from.

I hope this better helps start to explain some of this since you asked.

Thanks Mindpro, I wasn't aware Swift was involved with Kelce.

Based on google, she certainly knows how to make money, apparently she is skipping the
usual distribution channels and is working directly with AMC.

One source says she'll receive 57 percent of ticket sales. With over $100 million in pre sales,
and the fact she only put in $15 million of her own money, she should make out quite well.

She also found a way to circumnavigate the SAG strike somehow, quite impressive.

I think Danny is correct about the money. People who have a large audience also have a lot of power or influence: people follow their stars as they say.

I don't really enjoy her music but my wife has told me a lot of the things she does to help people and it's pretty respectable. She seems like a good person.

I like when these things coincide.

Https://screenrant.com/how-much-money-ta......as-tour/

People are paying $456? Wow.

The eras tour seems to be bringing in an average of nearly $14 million a show, significantly
higher than the second place tour. (beyonce at $10 million)

I do have to wonder how this particular tour is doing so well, her previous tour did $345 million total,
this tour already did double that at $780 million of which $305 million has gone straight to Taylor
according to Forbes. It's expected to finish well over a billion.

In my view this signals that any slump in live entertainment caused by covid has completely gone away,
probably has been for a while.

The amount this is bringing to local economies has to be huge, a lot to unpack there.

Yes and her film is expected to boost the very ailing movie theater business as well.

What is best about her is she is doing things her way and not adhering to what is considered conventional business. I am all about this as we regularly discuss in the Tricky Business section here. She is using her own ticketing after problems with Ticketmaster, she is doing her own booking and promoting, and now her own distribution for the film. Each of these moves eliminates outside sources and their cut of the pie, allowing her to retain more while maintaining complete control. This is the beauty of entertainment business! (and just one way it differs from conventional business)