Last year, after the Super Bowl, I wrote an article about how the game was more of a marketing move than anything. The amount of ads that we see and the sheer amount that is paid for these ads led me to think like this. One of the best business schools in the world, Northwestern’s Kellogg School, even sits down for every Super Bowl to not just enjoy the game but watch alll the ads at the same time, critiquing each of them and how it might impact their own business.

This year, the volume of ads was still no different. However, there was one additional feature to the Super Bowl that increased viewership – and ticked off many fans all over the world. Taylor Swift’s presence at the big game attracted thousands of Swifties, many of whom had never seen a football game before. However, the mere sight of their favorite singer at the Super Bowl was more than enough to have them watch the entire game. And, the NFL did not disappoint.

Swift was shown 12 times on the Jumbotron and in different broadcasts. While it was less than a minute, it was more than enough for many fans to watch the entire game. To me, this was one of the NFL’s smartest marketing moves, but also might impact how serious football viewers will perceive the league. 

Perhaps the customer lifetime value of these Swifties may not be high, but it may attract more viewership in future years. By taking this one opportunity to let one of the world’s most prolific artists take the stage, the NFL has guaranteed much better returns for future games as well.

At the end of the day, the NFL is also a business. Maintaining such a large fanbase and all of its operations is no doubt expensive. These moves help in keeping viewership up and attracting more fans.

While there have been many lifelong football fans who have expressed their disapproval of the large focus that was placed on Taylor Swift, in the long run, it really only benefits them. With increased viewership numbers and an increase in demand for products given by the NFL, more money and clout are received, which can be reinvested into enhancing the overall experience for players and fans.

The Chiefs have been the best team in the league for two years in a row, and it doesn’t look like anyone will be stopping them soon. It will be interesting to see how Taylor Swift revolutionizes NFL viewership percentages and how it changes the NFL’s numbers in terms of profit and demand for different products.