The girlfriend effect is the improvement a person (or, in this case, a brand) gets by associating with a magnetic partner. The term, which has been applied to Kelce, gained popularity on TikTok last year, said Linda Ong, chief executive of Cultique, a cultural analysis firm. has faced crises in recent years that hurt its reputation among younger viewers, particularly women, Ong said. Domestic violence by players, the lack of diversity among head coaches, and players’ chronic health problems from concussions have tainted the league’s brand.

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Persons: Linda Ong, Ong