All-American Couple: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Cards
Wherever you stand on the NFL's favorite love story, there's no denying the cameras and the eyes will once again be on future Hall-of-Fame Tight End Travis Kelce and global pop music icon Taylor Swift. Such is the scale of Swift's massive popularity, and the attention paid to her celebrity relationship with Kelce, that some sportsbooks are providing Taylor Swift props. Bet on whether Travis will propose, how many times Swift will appear on the game broadcast, even whether Swift will post on Instagram during the game.
Michael Rubin says he asked Taylor Swift to be on a trading card
For those in The Hobby, we might wonder - will there ever be a Kelce-Swift dual auto to get our hands on. In September of last year, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin told People that he had made an attempt to get Swift on some Topps offerings the year previous. As to the possibility of a card showcasing the All-American couple? Rubin said, "A Taylor and Trav card together would be amazing."
As I wrote in a recent piece, Swift appears in a 2011 Topps set called American Pie. She is featured in a well-selling card that features a Swift being interrupted onstage by Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Swift has also been parodied in Topps pop culture sets like Garbage Pail Kids and 2017 sticker set Topps Wacky Packs 50th Anniversary.
As noted in this recent article from my colleague, Jason Neuman, Kelce's popularity in The Hobby outstrips that of his most common player. Comparison (and fellow pop culture figure) Rob Gronkowski, not just from a recency bias, but also due to what Neuman called 'The Taylor Swift Effect'. While Kelce continues to excel on the field, his oversized place in the pop cultural landscape and social media is partly a result of being with a bonafide cultural icon.
While Neuman also suggests that the Kelce market may come back to earth after his playing days, and he may be correct, it will be a fascinating hobby story to follow. We can't know what plans Swift and Kelce have for the future as a couple, but we do know that Travis, and not just Taylor, has his own celebrity to foster and build after his legendary career comes to an end. What impact that transition, in addition to his relationship with Swift has on his medium and long-term market value will be an interesting intersection of career legacy and continued celebrity relevance.
While Taylor Swift merchandise is a massive market all its own, Kelce does (at least, for now) have her number when it comes to trading cards. His 2013 Topps Chrome RC continues to hold strong value. A 2024 Kaboom numbered to 10 sold on February 6 for almost $5,000. He's one of the hottest names in the football hobby.
But, if the day comes when Taylor joins Travis on a card, or Swift gets a set all her own, who knows how high the cards will go.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.