LPGA seems to be to money in on Taylor Swift impact as ladies’s golf grows

Taylor Swift and her Eras Tour has taken over the world.

She left fairly an affect on the male-dominated sport of soccer. The query is how a lot affect may she have on a feminine sport like ladies’s golf?

She would not essentially play, however Swift constantly makes use of a neon golf membership when she sings the music “Clean Area” at her exhibits.

Her boyfriend, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce, may be very conversant in taking part in although. He paired with teammate Patrick Mahomes in final yr’s Capital One’s The Match, and performs within the annual American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Understanding what her relationship with Kelce achieved for the NFL, her affect could possibly be an unbelievable instrument for girls’s golf to make use of.

LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan is conscious of this.

LPGA considering outdoors the field

The LPGA’s Singapore occasion ended Sunday, which matched up completely with Swift’s schedule. Marcoux Samaan shot her shot and prolonged an invite to Swift, per the Washington Publish.

“There’s nothing improper with Taylor Swift impact,” the commissioner mentioned. “Taylor, come be a part of us. Our doorways are large open for you.”

Swift will not be an enormous golfer, but when she have been to attend an LPGA occasion, it might solely imply good issues for the sport.

All of us witnessed as she helped make historical past in NFL viewership.

Tremendous Bowl LVIII was the most-watched TV occasion of all time. It averaged 120 million viewers on CBS alone and 123.4 million, together with the opposite platforms that aired it, per the LA Instances.

Final yr’s common was 115.1 million viewers on Fox.

Which may not sound like an enormous leap. However traditionally talking, when the identical staff seems seemingly yearly, there’s a team-fatigue seen in rankings. The Chiefs have been within the Tremendous Bowl for the fourth time in 5 years, but their ultimate look broke all information.

Anybody with a pulse is conscious that’s due to the Swift-effect.

Picture by Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos

Her relationship with Kelce didn’t simply increase Tremendous Bowl rankings, it was felt all season.

She altered the NFL’s viewership by supporting her boyfriend. From the time she started going to the video games in Week 3, females flocked to the display. Viewership elevated amongst 18-34 yr olds by 9%. It additionally elevated by 6% amongst males, per Entrance Workplace Sports activities.

Moreover, as of Jan. 22, she additionally helped make the Chiefs $331.5 million in further income.

Marcoux Samaan acknowledged her affect, which appears to be why she prolonged that invite to the pop star and her boyfriend. Whereas Swift didn’t present up in Singapore, there isn’t any telling what may occur if the LPGA stays persistent.

The LPGA and girls’s sports activities typically are on the rise. The tour’s income has elevated by greater than 65% prior to now 4 years.

They’ve elevated purses together with the largest ever U.S. Ladies’s Open purse this yr, added larger sponsors and seen extra folks watching the very best ladies on this planet tee it up.

Ford Motor Firm not too long ago partnered with the ladies to sponsor the Ford Championship on the finish of March. The following 9 LPGA occasions will see purses $2 million or larger.

LPGA That includes Stars

Marcoux Samaan additionally is aware of it is time to elevate the celebrities from the LPGA to assist develop the sport. Like skilled tennis, she needs to make extra girls family names.

“It is actually essential in any sport, however extra so in particular person sports activities, that our athletes are family names,” Marcoux Samaan mentioned. “We consider that is our time.”

Rose Zhang, who burst onto the skilled scene in 2023, has drawn eyes as she recorded a historic beginner profession that Tiger Woods could not even accomplish. Then she gained her LPGA debut after taking dwelling back-to-back NCAA particular person championships.

Lexi Thompson’s look on the PGA Tour elevated viewership to the autumn occasion. She and Zhang performed with Max Homa and Rory McIlroy within the ninth version of The Match. The world witnessed their personalities on full show.

That’s a giant step in the proper route for girls’s golf.

These aren’t the one girls which might be thought of “massive names” both. Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson have been the 2 feminine golfers on the 2023 Forbes record of the world’s highest-paid feminine athletes.

Marcoux Samaan has carried out the steps to get extra names on there, however would not it’s wild to see what a Taylor Swift-supported LPGA may do? Hopefully it occurs as a result of ladies’s golf deserves the eye.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. For extra golf protection, you’ll want to comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.