Taylor Swift is good for hockey

Music superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce went to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. The two celebrities enjoyed the game in South Florida, something that has become more popular as they enjoy different sporting events.

Wherever Swift goes, many fans become frustrated. The “I Knew You Were Trouble” singer just exists, and TV cameras feel compelled to follow her every move. So far during the game, all we see Swift do is drink a beverage, smile, and maybe have a discussion with someone nearby. Yet, some hockey fans are very upset she’s there.

There is an overexposure here. She has been shown on the broadcast multiple times, but it’s never been as a replacement for actual hockey action. It’s always coming either in a break in the play or during the intermission. If people who didn’t like it just treated it like a commercial, we wouldn’t be writing this article.

However, we do have to say that Swift going to NHL games is great for hockey. The sport gains so much from her mere existence in Amerant Bank Arena. Swift’s fan base is largely young and impressionable. They also want to see her live as often as they can, whether on their TV at a hockey game or as she fills the nearby Hard Rock Stadium for the Eras Tour.

The NFL saw a huge boost in interest from Taylor Swift’s arrival. She’s been watching her beau play for the Kansas City Chiefs, and the games she has been seen in the owner’s box have come with a discernible ratings boost. The Super Bowl, which Kelce has played in each of the past two seasons, has hit record viewership. A large part of that is a rise in young female viewers. Say what you want, but Swift is helping bring those viewers in.

And those viewers tend to buy merchandise, invest in the players, and treat this as their new hobby. The NFL was once considered the top sport with nowhere to go but down. They had grabbed every possible sports fan. Or so we thought. When Swift came to an NFL game, they realized the sky is the limit.

NHL fans should welcome Taylor Swift and all of the Swifties with open arms

And Swift bringing even five percent of that excitement to an NHL game is amazing for hockey. She’s a magnet for attention, and this hockey series deserves attention. It’s the league’s best player (Connor McDavid) versus their most intriguing team (Florida Panthers). It’s rough and exciting. The goals get people out of their seats, and the hits do the same.

If Swifties tune in and take a liking to the sport, they’ll stick around. Ask some young hockey fans what caused them to become fans of the sport, and even fans of the New Jersey Devils. Fewer and fewer fans are saying it’s because their parents were fans. More people are finding their own path, and the NHL should embrace creative ways to build a fanbase.

If someone is tuning into a hockey game to see Taylor Swift, that is unequivocally a good thing. In fact, we can’t think of one negative about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce heading to the Stanley Cup. It is incredible that the game of hockey is on the radar of the biggest star in the universe. The woman who made literally a billion dollars on her world tour decides your sport is how she wants to spend her very little downtime. We couldn’t appreciate that more.