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Travis Kelce is in his Taylor Swift era — and it could make the Kansas City Chiefs tight end as much as $10 million in off-the-field earnings, a sports marketing expert told Insider.
“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,” said Bob Dorfman, the Creative Director at marketing agency Pinnacle Advertising, according to the outlet.
“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 33-year-old “Blank Space” singer has a notoriously loyal — and large — fan base, the “Swifties,” who have been anxiously awaiting the hard launch of Swift’s rumored relationship with Kelce and were overjoyed when the pop icon took sports headlines by storm over the weekend.
Since Swift appeared at the Chiefs-versus-Chicago Bears game on Sunday, Kelce saw a 400% increase in merchandise sales in the 24 hours after the Chief’s 41-10 victory, skyrocketing his No. 87 jersey into the NFL’s top-five best sellers — a result of the so-called “Taylor Swift effect.”
Thanks to the NFL Players Association, players receive a percentage of the revenue from their jersey sales and any other merchandise that bears their name, image, and likeness.
Though the terms of Kelce’s royalty agreement with the league are unclear, revenue-sharing agreements could earn popular players millions.
Take Tom Brady, for example, who earned a record-breaking $9.5 million in group licensing and marketing income in the 12 months ending Feb. 28, 2022, according to an NFLPA filing with the US Labor Department.
For reference, the player who earned the second-highest amount of royalties was Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who earned $3.3 million during the same one-year period.
Meanwhile, Kelce has also seen his social media reach grow by over 300,000 since Sunday.
The two-time Super Bowl champ’s recent swell in online success could translate into to big bucks, as brands looking for endorsers pay up according to follower count and engagement.
Kelce’s Instagram, where he goes by @killatrav, boasts over 3.5 million followers as of Thursday — a figure that could have brands dishing out as much as $500,000 for a single post on Kelce’s feed, according to USA Today.
In addition, “New Heights” — the sports and entertainment podcast hosted by Swift’s rumored beau and his older brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce — jumped to No. 1 on Apple Podcasts and No. 2 on Spotify.
While neither podcasting platform offers royalties, a higher audience equates to a better ranking and allows the Kelce brothers to cash in on higher-paying advertising deals.
“New Heights” also has a YouTube channel that boasts 1.13 million subscribers, and likely earns money from the platform’s content monetization policies.
YouTubers with this following can expect to earn tens of thousands in ad revenue monthly.
Swift’s ability to generate eye-watering funds is nothing new as the superstar’s iconic “Eras Tour” — which began on March 17, 2023, and will wrap up on Nov. 23, 2024 — is on track to amass a record-breaking $1 billion in sales, making it the highest-grossing tour ever.
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