Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce experienced a substantial surge in his Instagram following, thanks in no small part to his association with global music icon Taylor Swift.
However, despite his girlfriend’s significant push, Kelce fell short of claiming the top spot for the athlete with the highest Instagram follower gain in 2023. Travis Kelce added millions of new Instagram followers. A prominent figure in the NFL, Kelce had already garnered a considerable fanbase. Still, his connection with Swift during the past year elevated him to unprecedented levels of public attention. Swift’s attendance at Chiefs games and their blossoming relationship throughout 2023 played a pivotal role in Kelce’s Instagram popularity, adding over three million followers to his account.
Kelce’s initial boost came following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory in February, attracting half a million new followers to his Instagram community. However, the real surge occurred when Taylor Swift made her first appearance at a Chiefs game. From that moment onward, Kelce’s followers skyrocketed, reaching approximately 2.3 million additional followers by the end of the year.
Shohei Ohtani takes top spot
Shohei Ohtani, the versatile new Dodgers pitcher, emerged victorious in the race. Ohtani’s remarkable Instagram journey, fueled primarily by his move to the Dodgers, showcased a gain of over 3.5 million followers in less than two months. Despite Swift’s considerable push, Kelce fell short of surpassing Ohtani in the Instagram follower race. Ohtani’s popularity soared early in the year, just ahead of the World Baseball Classic, as he jumped from under 2 million to nearly 5.5 million followers in less than two months. Notably, Ohtani’s success was not tied to dating a global superstar; instead, it was a result of his on-field prowess.
While Kelce’s Instagram following experienced a meteoric rise, it still lags behind Swift’s colossal fan base. With 279 million followers, Swift stands as the 12th-most followed person on Instagram globally. In the dynamic world of sports influencers, 2023 witnessed a banner year for several athletes.
