$13 and $87 Tickets: How Cincinnati Cashed In on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Engagement
- jameswanderlust9x
- Aug 30
- 5 min read
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged in Cincinnati, the entire city turned into a cultural stage. What started with a few fans finding $13 tickets suddenly flipped into $87 resale prices. And just like that, Cincinnati wasn’t only hosting a love story, it was cashing in on one of the biggest celebrity crossovers between music and the NFL.
This is not just about a couple. It’s about how fans, businesses, and even casual onlookers turned a moment into a movement.
Why $13 and $87 Became Iconic Numbers
At first glance, $13 and $87 don’t seem like they belong together. But for Swifties and Chiefs fans, these numbers are loaded with meaning.
$13 has always been Taylor Swift’s lucky number. From scribbling it on her hand during concerts to mentioning it in interviews, Swifties know it as her signature.
$87 isn’t random either, it’s Travis Kelce’s jersey number for the Kansas City Chiefs.
So when tickets to the Cincinnati engagement event were spotted at exactly $13 and $87, fans didn’t see it as coincidence. They saw it as fate.
On social media, memes started flooding in: I didn’t just buy a ticket, I bought history $13 for her, $87 for him.
This wasn’t just pricing. It was storytelling in numbers.
Cincinnati’s Local Economy Got a Swift-Kelce Boost
Events like this don’t just happen inside the stadium. They spill out into every corner of the city.
Bars and restaurants around Paycor Stadium saw record sales that night. Owners even created themed drinks like the “Engagement Punch” and “Swift Kelce Spritz.”
Ride-share drivers reported higher tips and longer waits. One Uber driver told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he made more in one weekend than the entire month before.
Local merch shops popped up overnight with shirts reading “Engaged in Cincinnati” and mugs saying “$13 Ticket Club.”
The engagement wasn’t just a love story, it was an economic ripple effect. Even national outlets like The New York Times and ESPN noted how Cincinnati turned into a mini Super Bowl weekend.
Fans Wanted More Than Tickets, They Wanted Memories
The biggest lesson from this story is simple: people don’t just want to attend an event, they want to own a piece of it.
That’s why $13 tickets became collector’s items, and $87 resale tickets sold like gold. Even those who didn’t get inside still grabbed something physical to hold on to.
Think about it:
A Swiftie in Ohio bought a poster that read “I Was There – Cincinnati Engagement” just to hang in her dorm room.
An NFL fan grabbed a hoodie with Kelce’s number 87 reimagined in pastel Swiftie colors.
Couples started ordering personalized mugs that blended the Chiefs red with Taylor’s signature pastel pink.
For many, that mug on a Monday morning feels like reliving the entire weekend.
How Storytelling Turned Into Merchandising
Here’s where it gets interesting for anyone watching from the outside. The moment wasn’t just about tickets or photos. It turned into personalized merchandise that kept fans buzzing long after the stadium lights went dark.
At SunflowersHill Store, we’ve seen this trend over and over. Fans don’t just want generic gear—they want items tied to moments. That’s why collections like:
$13 Ticket Club hoodies
Engaged in Cincinnati mugs
Swift Kelce Lucky Number posters
are trending as fan favorites right now.
(You can explore our NFL Hawaiian Shirts collection here, new customers get 10% OFF plus Free shipping.)
Why Cincinnati Was the Perfect Stage
You might wonder: why Cincinnati? Why not Kansas City or Nashville?
The answer is part logistics, part symbolism. Cincinnati sits at the crossroads of football culture and Midwest heartland. It’s close enough to Kansas City to feel like Kelce’s territory, and it’s a welcoming stage for Swift’s massive Midwest fan base.
Local media like The Cincinnati Enquirer called the night “a cultural touchdown,” while Billboard compared it to the Eras Tour in terms of buzz. For one evening, Cincinnati wasn’t just a city—it was the city.
What This Means for NFL and Pop Culture
The blending of the NFL and pop music isn’t new, but it has never been this powerful. Travis Kelce is one of the league’s biggest stars. Taylor Swift is arguably the world’s biggest pop icon. Together, they created a hybrid fandom that turned stadiums into both concert halls and football temples.
And let’s be honest—this is bigger than one engagement. This is a blueprint. We might see:
NBA stars and pop singers pulling the same moves.
MLB teams creating themed merch lines tied to celebrity couples.
Local cities leveraging star power for short-term economic booms.
For fans, it’s a reminder that sports and music aren’t separate worlds anymore. They’re colliding in real time.
Internal Drama: Fans Who Missed Out
Of course, not everyone was thrilled. Some fans vented online about scalpers driving up ticket prices. A few said $87 was too steep for what was basically a “celebrity date night.”
On Reddit’s r/NFL, one post joked: “I didn’t know engagement tickets were harder to score than Super Bowl tickets.”
Still, even the complaints kept the buzz alive. Negative chatter didn’t hurt the moment, it fueled the FOMO.
The Takeaway for Everyday Fans
So what’s the big picture? Whether you scored a $13 ticket, shelled out $87, or just followed along on TikTok, this was a cultural event. And like all great cultural events, it’s about how people tell the story afterward.
That’s where merch, posters, mugs, and hoodies come in. They’re not just clothing. They’re time capsules.
Want to relive the weekend? A poster on your wall does it.
Want to wear the story? A cozy hoodie makes it real.
Want to laugh about it every morning? That coffee mug says it all.
(Check out our Taylor & NFL inspired fan collection and grab your favorite memory piece today.)
Final Thoughts
The story of $13 and $87 tickets isn’t just about prices. It’s about symbolism, community, and the blending of sports and music culture. Cincinnati didn’t just host a night, it turned into the backdrop of a national conversation.
From the lucky number 13 to the bold number 87, from the cheers inside Paycor Stadium to the mugs now sitting in kitchens across America, the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce is a reminder: sometimes love stories are also business stories.
And fans? They’ll pay for both.
FAQ
Why were tickets priced at $13 and $87 in Cincinnati? Fans believe it was symbolic Taylor Swift’s lucky number 13 and Travis Kelce’s jersey number 87.
Did Cincinnati businesses benefit from the engagement? Yes, local bars, restaurants, and ride share drivers saw huge boosts in sales and tips.
What kind of fan merchandise came out of the engagement? Hoodies, mugs, posters, and shirts featuring “$13 Ticket Club” and “Engaged in Cincinnati” themes.
Is this a trend we’ll see in sports and music again? Most likely. Fans are hungry for crossover moments that blend pop culture with live sports.
Where can I find personalized NFL or Taylor Swift engagement merchandise? You can explore options at SunflowersHill Store, where new customers get 10% off and free shipping.
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