LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour, which premieres on October 13, is already on track to surpass all previous concert documentaries in terms of box office success.
However, the topic that never seems to go away is the alleged publicity gimmick involving Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce, which some have referred to as "Swiftce."
When the NFL star's brother, Jason Kelce, told WIP Sports Radio that he believed the relationship was "100% true," it appeared as though Swift and Travis were dating. Some PR specialists don't agree.
Moreover, 'The View' co-host Sara Haines and Elle Duncan of 'The Elle Duncan Show' have publicly referred to the developing romance as a PR stunt.
Rumors surrounding their romance blossomed after Swift was seen cheering alongside Travis' mother, Donna Kelce, at the Chiefs vs Bears game.
Are the rumors surrounding their romance helping Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to gain publicity?
The upcoming 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' movie is receiving a PR boost due to all the talks surrounding the singer, as per USA Today. Moreover, according to Social Blade, Travis' social media following has increased by 58.8% in the past month.
Notably, Swift was also present at the Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Jets game on Sunday, October 1 night, where she brought along celebrity friends like Ryan Reynolds and Sophie Turner, and the cameras are said to have panned toward the singer 17 times during the match.
Shawn Robbins, Chief Analyst at Box Office Pro, which analyzes trends in the film industry, said, "She’s on top of the world, that's the simplest way to put it," noting the uproar surrounding Swift just two weeks before the release of her film, as per USA Today.
He added, "Her acumen as an incredibly smart business person has been on display for a long time, it's only been added to now."
While some have screamed that the supposed couple is only a marketing gimmick to increase sales, others, including TV personality Valerie Bertinelli, have voiced passionate defenses of the couple on social media.
The 'One Day at a Time' actress took to her TikTok to exclaim, "Can all of you Negative Nellies just stop? Stop! Let the rest of us enjoy watching two successful, funny, talented, incredibly gorgeous human beings − let us enjoy watching them fall in love."
Taylor Swift's fans slam rumors that her 'romance' with Travis Kelce is a PR stunt
Swifties took to X (formerly Twitter) to slam those claiming Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's apparent romance to be a publicity stunt.
One fan, with the username @dontblameklara, wrote, "Kinda insane how if you look at the pr side of things the NFL and Kelce have already made an insane amount of money in relation to Taylor Swift, but all Taylor has gotten is slutshaming, bodyshaming, misogyny, and ridicule thrown at her," slamming the claims.
Replying to it, another stated, "I am sick of PR narrative cause Taylor literally got nothing. Her tickets for her tour movie is already sold like hot cakes. She does not need this s**t."
"And like, she certainly doesn’t need this promo for 1989 tv or the Eras Tour movie which we’re both doing incredible before she set foot in that stadium so again, what is she getting out of this supposed pr relationship?" stated @dontblameklara in a subsequent post.
"Maybe it’s not a pr relationship at all but 2 grown up adults who find each other attractive and are out here living their best lives and having so much fun. He is letting her shine and doing everything he can to show off to her too. They’re cute and fun," noted another Swift fan.
Another chimed in, "Not to mention that wouldn’t she have posted something online about the games if this was a publicity stunt? For someone who apparently is seeking attention she sure is quiet."
"This has been exactly my point. So for all of those who say it’s a PR stunt, what does she get out of it?" expressed one more.
A Swiftie opined, "That's why I know they didn't sign some partnership contract or whatever. She's just existing through the frenzy and chaos. She must not care taht much bc she's leaving the states in one month"
"Not at all, she is proving she’s a needle mover for anything she takes an interest to. There is no ceiling to her influence. The NFL has the flame today, what will it be in ‘24???" said another.
Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' movie to hit more than 7,500 screens worldwide
Even though Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce haven't yet opened up about their supposed relationship, the uproar surrounding it is certain to fuel a fire that is already blazing.
Initially, the 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' was slated to play in more than 4,000 theaters across North America, but recently, showings in Europe have been added, bringing the total to almost 7,500 locations worldwide.
Thus, the film is now on track to compete with some of the greatest Hollywood blockbusters. When Swift's movie was announced, its distributor, AMC, recorded the biggest revenue day for pre-ticket sales in its 103-year existence.
The pre-sales for Swift's concert movie, which brought in $26 million the day tickets were released, are expected to surpass $100 million in its first weekend, crushing previous top-grossing concert movies like Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' and Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never'.
