Taylor Swift
Noam Galai/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementTaylor Swift Maybe you should start singing, “Karma is the guy on the Cubs.”
The Chicago Cubs recently won their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and according to manager Craig CounsellThe team may have gotten some help along the way from 34-year-old Swift.
When he spoke to Counsell on Tuesday, August 27, the sports reporter said Taylor McGregor hinted that there are “a lot of Swifties in Cubs Nation” who would be happy to hear how the pop star is involved in the team’s pregame ritual.
“I was given a Taylor Swift candle,” Counsell explained. “And we lit it in my office before games (with) clubhouse manager Danny Miller. We’re on a nice little run here, so we’ll thank Taylor Swift for that.”
Taylor Swift began writing songs about love and breakups in the early 2000s, but her talent was soon recognized by music executives who knew she was the one. From releasing her first record in 2006 to performing all over the world, this star has earned her place in the Hollywood music scene. (…)
The clip was shared via Marquee Sports Network’s X account and it didn’t take long for Swifties to share their wisdom with Cubs fans. “By the way, the dictionary definition for this phenomenon is tayvodoo :),” one user wrote in the replies. Another pointed to one of Swift’s Red Songs, joking that “everything has changed” for the MLB team since the candle was first lit.
Taylor Swift has played a part in the Cubs’ recent winning streak 😏
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) 28 August 2024
The winning streak continued on Wednesday, August 28, when the Cubs defeated the Pirates 14-10. According to McGregor, the candle was introduced about 10 games earlier – and the team keeps track of how many games were won on the candle’s label.
The “Taylor Swift effect” has been a topic among sports fans since the singer started dating NFL star Travis Kelce last year. She attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game in September 2023, making the duo’s relationship official. The team eventually won the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. (She attended 13 games in total over the course of the season – her lucky number.)
Manager Craig Counsell of the Chicago Cubs.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty ImagesSwift’s own interest in football has helped open up a new audience for the sport – and many professional athletes support the continued coverage, even though some skeptics say Swift is only a distraction.
“I think it’s great. I can’t understand why people are so upset about it,” JJ Watt exclusively told We weekly in February. “I mean, they show celebrities in games all the time. Don’t act like we don’t show male celebrities in games all the time. I don’t really understand why this caused such an uproar.”
A month earlier, Kirk Cousins told Us that having a star like Swift there was “certainly a positive.” “I think there are a lot of new football fans who probably weren’t following professional football five months ago, but now they are,” he added. “I think it’s a win-win for everyone involved and hopefully she’ll stay in the game for a long time to come.”
Dansby Swanson of the Chicago Cubs celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 27, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Justin K. Aller/Getty ImagesEven NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is OK with the phenomenon. “I think it’s great that she’s involved,” he said during a Super Bowl press conference in February. “It creates excitement, it creates another group of young fans — especially young women — who want to know, ‘Why is she going to this game? Why is she interested in this game?'”
He continued, “Both Travis and Taylor are wonderful young people and they seem very happy. She understands great entertainment and that’s why she loves NFL football.”
