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1 in 4 Gen Zers more interested in football thanks to Taylor Swift

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 24: Taylor Swift reacts during the first half of a game between the Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — Most Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl this year, and when it comes to Gen Z, Taylor Swift is a big reason why, according to a new survey.

Roughly 1 in 4 Gen Zers (ages 18 to 27) say they’re more interested in football this year due to Swift’s influence, a LendingTree survey found. One in five millennials (ages 28 to 43) said the same.

Respondents with children under 18 were also more likely to say Swift sparked their interest in football (24%), compared to 13% of all of those surveyed.

“If there’s one thing that people should’ve learned all too well by now, it’s that you should never be surprised by the enormity of Swift’s influence,” LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz said in a statement.

About 1 in 3 Gen Zers said they’ll root for the Kansas City Chiefs in the title game specifically because of Swift, according to the survey.

But not everyone has been excited about the pop star’s effect on the NFL — 15% of those surveyed hate what she has done to the league, while 8% say they’re less interested in football because of her.

When it comes to the hottest ticket in entertainment, the Super Bowl still reigns supreme. The poll found 77% of Americans would rather have the best tickets to the big game than the best tickets to a Swift concert.

The findings come from an online survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers ages 18 to 78 between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8, 2024.