Detroit Tigers Manager Talks His Taylor Swift Economy, Favorite Song
A.J. Hinch knows the cost of going to a Taylor Swift concert all too well.
The Detroit Tigers manager talked with MLB Network on Thursday on a variety of topics as his team has crawled back onto the outskirts of the American League wild card race, thanks to a stretch in which they’ve won 13 of their last 17 games.
The Tigers are five games back of the final wild card spot entering Friday’s game against the Boston Red Sox. It will take a hot streak, but the Tigers, buoyed by a youth movement, can make some noise in September.
The conversation hit a variety of topics, one of which was Taylor Swift, the pop star that just wrapped up the European leg of her “Eras” tour.
Much has been written about the “Taylor Swift Economy,” as her stadium shows have poured millions in economic impact into each city she played. The U.S. Travel Association reported that the economic impact of her domestic shows last year approached $5 billion.
That’s an example of macroeconomics, as it takes into account large-scale factors.
A good example of microeconomics is what happens to Hinch’s bank account each time his wife and two daughters go to see Swift.
“I'm well aware of what you have to pay to go to a Taylor Swift concert,” Hinch said with a chuckle.
Hinch hasn’t seen Swift in person, but said his family has seen her perform twice. But that doesn’t mean he’s not listening to her music. He even has a favorite song.
“I mean, ‘All Too Well’,” Hinch said. “Ten minutes, you get a double song.”
Hinch is, of course, referring to “Taylor’s Version” of the song, which was re-recorded in 2021 from her album, “Red.”
Swift’s music also comes up during rounds of golf, he said.
“I got buddies at home,” Hinch said. “We play golf. We can get two golf holes in in one Taylor Swift song.”
He didn’t comment on whether his young players pipe Swift’s music into the clubhouse pre- or post-game. But with a passel of young players that include Parker Meadows, Jace Jung, Trey Sweeney, Colt Keith and Dillon Dingler, it’s likely that at least one of them is listening to Swift’s music.
If Hinch and his players find some inspiration in Swift’s music, and that inspiration leads to a hot streak that puts the Tigers in position to reach the playoffs, well, then that lesson in microeconomics may be worth it.
