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Taylor Swift reaches LA in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl

86 Comments
By MARIA SHERMAN and FOSTER KLUG

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86 Comments
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"Epic?" Truly a slow news day! It's not like she is flying commercial, THAT would possibly make it "epic"

She evidently owns not one but two airplanes that are more than capable of getting her to her destination on time.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

For American football to become bigger - and appeal to a genuinely huge worldwide audience - it needs to become much more free-flowing. There are far too many stoppages

Yes, it is a bit stop-start.

Still, got to get those commercials in.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

I swear the media acts like Japan is on another planet. She doesn't have to rush to the airport to get to Las Vegas on time. She can leave anytime this morning or afternoon and still be on time comfortably for the SB.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

I would expect she take a helicopter if she was truly in a rush. Agree with above. Sensational media grasping at drama to cover a non story. She will arrive with plenty of time. Even if she went commercial.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

t’s not the most watched sporting event in the world by quite a distance, a huge distance in fact, but all this fuss may increase viewership

We cleared up this soccer myth a few days ago

Oh, sorry. I must have missed the figures you posted proving your numbers-based claim.

Could you repost them?

Sorry for the inconvenience.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Until his relationship with Swift non-Americans had never heard of Travis Kelce.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

The biggest sporting event in the world doesn't need this silliness.

Biggest? Perhaps you have not heard of the football World Cup, Champions League or Cricket World Cup.

For American football to become bigger - and appeal to a genuinely huge worldwide audience - it needs to become much more free-flowing. There are far too many stoppages. This is holding the game back from being more widely watched, IMO.

Not questioning the freakishly talented athletes who play the game, though.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

stan

We cleared up this soccer myth a few days ago.

It's hardly a myth. About 115.1 million people watched last year's Super Bowl LVII. About 1.5 billion (with a B) watched the 2022 World Cup Final match, not the whole tournament, just the final. That means viewership for the WC Final was about 13 times greater than for the SB. That's the difference between a global sport and one that's followed only in America and by expats and a small number of foreign fans,

9 ( +11 / -2 )

That will be all on this point, thanks.

Got to hand it to Taylor Swift. Whether you are a Swiftie, indifferent to her, like a few songs, a rightwing North American podcast watcher who’s been told to dislike her or a music snob ( who often can’t play ), she can get attention.

That’s some going.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

The biggest sporting event in the world doesn't need this silliness

It’s not the most watched sporting event in the world by quite a distance, a huge distance in fact, but all this fuss may increase viewership.

Not a bad thing.

Anyway enjoy the game.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Yubaru

FYI never watched Swift or the Superbowl.

> Yet still takes the time to comment about something they know absolutely nothing about. Gotta be pretty damn lonely out in inaka!

Your usual impolite type of arrogant comment. I have never watched the Superbowl but I have watched American Football games. The timing for the Superbowl is always difficult. Finding a channel is another problem. I have not intentionally listened to Swift but I have watched the TV reports and read the newspaper articles about her, her music, and her world tour.

You live in Okinawa, many would call that inaka but it does not stop you from posting.

I live in a city next to the sea. Not many would call this inaka. We even have the Shikansen.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

By Sunday morning Japan time, her jet is already half way across Pacific.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/taylor-swift-flight-tracker-live-updates-super-bowl-tokyo/9558df995e487a37706879cf

6 ( +10 / -4 )

And she will arrive in LA in 30 mins of my comment. Super easy trip. Just hope she could get some rest but I’m sure she did. She just have been exhausted from shows.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Who cares!

6 ( +14 / -8 )

I always wondered, don't they have to go through immigration? Not that it's bad or takes a super long time, just wondered how this is organized at haneda

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I would expect she take a helicopter if she was truly in a rush.

A helicopter can’t fly that far without several refueling stops.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Although I realize shes clout chasing the bigger name in Travis Kelce, I hope it works out.

That's ridiculous. Mahomes is not bigger than Taylor Swift.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Going ticket prices for the Superbowl are $8,000.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I always wondered, don't they have to go through immigration? Not that it's bad or takes a super long time, just wondered how this is organized at haneda

@tetsuB.

You obviously are not familiar with the lifestyle of rich people and their luxury travels.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Epic journey?

Give it a rest. She will take a private jet from point A to point B. Hardly a solo trip to the South Pole.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

Got to hand it to Taylor Swift.....(yada, yada, yada)... she can get attention.

By coattail riding on one of the top 2 or 3 biggest sporting names in the world. Yup

Oh, way off on all counts.

She was a huge star and selling enormous amounts before she met whatever-his-name-is.

This envy of the successful is very unbecoming.

She makes an honest living and is very successful at doing it.

Honest and successful. A role-model in many ways.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

rainman1

@wallace: If you have never watched it, then just stop commenting. Also, any general , casual sports fan is aware of the Kelce brothers, even prior to the relationship with Swift.

I don't need your permission to post any comments.

The whole epic journey thing is a bit OTT though, she had plenty of time +. I’ve worked until 3pm on a Friday here and seen games at the Staples Center/Crypto.com Center that evening and thats flying commercial obviously.

FYI never watched Swift or the Superbowl.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I like American Football, so I'll be watching. Mahomes is usually good value. That pass he threw in the last Superbowl when fully horizontal was amazing.

As for Taylor Swift, I actually do know one of her songs, the "Shake it Out!" one, which is one more than some JT readers. Such comments have me wondering whether there were older people in the 1980s saying "Michael Jackson? I don't know any of his songs" or the same in earlier times about the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or Elvis. I can't imagine there would have been, so central to life pop music was.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

rainman1

Also, any general , casual sports fan is aware of the Kelce brothers, even prior to the relationship with Swift.

I had no idea who they were (the brothers, not Swift) until the overblown coverage of the one brother's relationship with her, and the truly ridiculous right-wing meltdown over it.

BTW, is Kelce pronounced like kelsey or kels? Again, no idea.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

stan

The biggest sporting event in the world doesn't need this silliness.

Football fans want to concentrate on football, not this.

Except that, unlike most popular global sporting events, a huuuuge portion of Superbowl viewers watch only for the commercials and the halftime show, not for the sport at all. And, this year, those very same people will also be watching for Taylor Swift and whatever her boyfriend's name is.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

That's a nice looking jet.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Even Japanese diplomats have gotten into the act. The Japanese Embassy in Washington posted on social media that she could make the Super Bowl in time, including in their statement three Swift song titles – “Speak Now”, “Fearless” and “Red."

Never jammed to any of her songs but have relatives that saw her live and says she gives an epic performance.

At least Asian audiences are not giving in to the fake news media frenzy from the right gripping America about Swift.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/10/pentagon-taylor-swift-fox-00134866

3 ( +16 / -13 )

And she has already landed in LA 3:28PM Saturday so no drama at all. I bet many of her fans from last night aren’t even up yet. Such media drama.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Wallace enjoy the game,put some dogs on the grill,with some beer and chip on the side

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Superbowl viewers watch only for the commercials

I have a mate who works in marketing who looks forward to the commercials.

I wouldn’t knock it. Supplementing the experience with new commercials and half-time shows ( I remember watching the Who ) adds to it. A bit of pop star romance this time is a bit of extra fun.

I think it was about 115 million viewers overall last time.

Not bad. I think it may make top 10 sporting events worldwide.

Not to be sniffed at.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

There's a private jet centre in Haneda. Has all customs and immigration within it.

Yep. All port of entry air terminals for private aircraft have their own immigration and customs people. And no security screening.

I’m not going to watch the Super Bowl, but I’m gonna eat like I am!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Glad she made it on time. I'm all for us proles using paper straws, so the elite can trot around on their private jets.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

She's here in LA, resting at her house, good sleep and fly one hour trip to Las Vegas tomorrow.

I will be going to Lunar Year celebrations, year of the wooden dragon in the morning and then watch the game in the afternoon in full 49ers regalia with friends.

Time for our 7th Super Bawl!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I’d like to add something to my previous post: I’m still young and I know three, four, maybe five songs and of course, I’m not alone in this… not everyone who doesn’t know Swift’s work needs to be “old”; but, like I said, I’m gonna check some songs and videos including her latest album, I mean, now I’m curious…; as for her connection to Travis, well, who cares—real football fans only care about the game and the game is in a completely different universe.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

She seems very sweet, but what is all the hoopla about her? Why do we obsess over pop singers? Oh well, somethings I will never understand.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

hope Red Cross were there to meet her with spam sandwiches, coffee and blankets...

[Homer Simpson voice]

"Mmmmnnn... Spaaam"

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I was reading this article last night, and at that time, she was already on her way to Las Vegas, relaxing in her private jet(!)…, so… reading this now makes me wanna lmao…; “epic”? Pfff, no. It’s hard for me to understand this whole Taylor Swift fever thing, hmmm, … but I don’t have anything against her or her success…, … I guess I should check some songs and videos on YT later, hahah…; now let’s talk about the important stuff—tomorrow is national holiday in Japan(!) so we can all watch the Super Bowl tomorrow morning—how cool is that(!) :), … to all the fans: have a great time.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I have never watched the Superbowl even when I was in the States.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Seesaw7Feb. 11  08:49 am JST

I always wondered, don't they have to go through immigration? Not that it's bad or takes a super long time, just wondering

There's a private jet centre in Haneda. Has all customs and immigration within it.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Taylor Swift has already landed in Los Angeles as of 3.30 Pacific time

0 ( +1 / -1 )

An epic journey might be slogging it out on foot to the local port to sail solo in a leaky boat across the Pacific, then taking a galloping horse to the gates of the Superbowl just in time for the game to start.

Not a comfy jaunt in a private jet.

Reporters need to check the dictionary every now and then.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

I can't even begin to imagine how knackered she must be. Coupled with the jetlag and performing what, 4 shows? I would be absolutely shattered.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thats a charter Global 6000. It has been bouncing around Asia for a week or so doing a lot of flights.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I don't know about you, but I held a candlelight vigil until news of touchdown (no pun intended) at LAX. 

I hope Red Cross were there to meet her with spam sandwiches, coffee and blankets...

Shes the new Amelia Earhardt!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Big deal! And this is news because.......?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Thats a charter Global 6000. It has been bouncing around Asia for a week or so doing a lot of flights.

Yup, that is! Gotta love those small private planes with lots of power and distance. I'm definitely an AviGeek!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Taylor Swift will lose popularity once she's married with children like Beyonce and Rihanna....

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

great…..I know I was losing sleep over whether she would make it or not.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

OMG, she jinxed the Chiefs. San Fran will now win by 14

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Yeah Wallace agree.

Never heard of that American Football player either. I'm pretty sure 99.9% of people outside N. America would not have known his name before the Swift effect.

I've heard of that Brady guy, and there was once a guy known as the Fridge. Dan Marino played for Miami Dolphins I'm sure of that. And there was another guy called Montana that played for 49ers.

That's about all I know on American Football, apart that they are a bunch of helmeted retards trying to gain yardage.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, everybody's sitting on the edge of their seats! Everybody's just GOT to see that jet plane land on time! Will she make it on time? Hearts are pumping, nobody is blinking, viewers are about to pee their pants! Will she get to reach her current BF and smear his face with that notorious infamous red lipstick with her kissy kissy kissy???

We gotta know, we gotta see this! Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Moment of the Year, the Moment of the Decade, the Moment of the 21st Century!!!!! Yeah yeah yeah!

And then next week she'll break up with that KC BF and write a diss track about how he wasn't 'good enough' for her. Business As Usual.

I swear, some people need to Get A Life.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

So she's not a great believer in carbon emissions or climate change then?

Or just thinks the plebs should curtail their own travel to perhaps see their family overseas or vactaion for some well deserved travel once every few years?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Truly epic " JET SETTER" cum " ENTERTAINER".Now the million dollar question is who will win Sunday's Superbowl ?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@wallace: If you have never watched it, then just stop commenting. Also, any general , casual sports fan is aware of the Kelce brothers, even prior to the relationship with Swift.

The whole epic journey thing is a bit OTT though, she had plenty of time +. I’ve worked until 3pm on a Friday here and seen games at the Staples Center/Crypto.com Center that evening and thats flying commercial obviously.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

YubaruToday  07:12 am JST

"Epic?" Truly a slow news day! It's not like she is flying commercial, THAT would possibly make it "epic"

She evidently owns not one but two airplanes that are more than capable of getting her to her destination on time.

If I recall it was 60 years ago this the Beatles landed in NYC.

factcheckerToday  08:25 am JST

Who cares!

And she is not FAB. Not even close by light-years!

wallaceToday  08:27 am JST

Going ticket prices for the Superbowl are $8,000.

Obscene.

YrralToday  08:48 am JST

Taylor Swift has already landed in Los Angeles as of 3.30 Pacific time

Jeez Louise, just what we needed to know.

Taylor Swift will lose popularity once she's married with children like Beyonce and Rihanna....

And when the Super Bowl is over and she breaks up with her current KC BF, she'll record a sassymouth diss track about him too. He'll just be another rock in the pile.

How long can this moronic sensation and fascination last, people? My Sweet Lord!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

And the carbon footprint of this self advertising media fest is?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

TrevorPeaceFeb. 11  05:29 pm JST

That's a nice looking jet.

To paraphrase the late flamboyant Liberace - if you paid those obscenely astronomical prices for a Taylor Swift show, if you plunked your money down on those recordings of her chump music; then you bought the jet. Don't laugh you paid for it in full! Glad you like it so much.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I think I speak for all of when I say phew! What a relief to know that she got there in time! I think there are quite a few of us who have both lost sleep and and a few pounds worrying whether she would make it in time.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Frankly all this hype is a big turnoff. Thanks for nothing, MSM.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

You obviously are not familiar with the lifestyle of rich people and their luxury travels.

No I am not, hence the question

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Taylor Swift reaches LA in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl

Truly gripping stuff! No news yet about what meal and snacks she was served on her private flight. Waiting with bated breath!

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

Wow....this is what the news has come to.....appreciating someone getting somewhere on time while using their own $50million+ jet........I guess it keeps everyone off thinking about things like ooo i don't know, the wars and famines and environmental destruction happening right now around the world....but no no, look at this girl who sings a few songs and wears slightly revealing clothing. This is exactly why I've stopped reading JapanToday so often.

And the sport shouldn't even be called football. It's more like HandEgg

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

And the world is still totally unprepared for the Travis/Swifty valentines day extravaganza, trains boats planes all on standby.

Could be an emotional, physical, spiritual one off, a "Elon Musk" initiative, the first cosmos weightless canoodle bouncing frolicking on the earth's atmosphere.

Where me hankie?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

And we care why exactly now?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Bread and circuses 101

More comments and news coverage than ongoing wars where many die daily.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

“I hope she can return in time. It’s so romantic," said office worker Hitomi Takahashi, 29, who bought matching Taylor Swift sweatshirts

Isn't it so ‘damaging to the environment’ ?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Maybe this Swifty gesture, a declaration,

“I will traverse mountains, cross seas (I want warp speed, number one from my private transport) navigate through heavy traffic there is no border or barriers my love knows no bounds Tarquin sorry Travis ”……….is this not the modern day social media “money no object” interpretation of loves lost dream?

I would have settled for ……

Classic Motown, Tammi Terrell,

This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvfQVpyMeaY

Instead of sitting through, how many hours, of rugby in armour.

Football, lesson number one, that football isn't round....

And allegedly choked the planet in the meantime.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Looking forward to the game!

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Was soooooooo worried she wouldn’t make it on time!!!

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Shall we call it "Swifty Super Bowl 58" or "Super Bowl Swifty 58"? That girl's on the move!

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

At last I can get some rest… praise the Lord… she made it! All is well with the world again.

Protestant (love the username btw) - I don't know about you, but I held a candlelight vigil until news of touchdown (no pun intended) at LAX.

I hope Red Cross were there to meet her with spam sandwiches, coffee and blankets...

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Oh come on please, wake up smell the coffee.

Is this not a masterclass, no the masterclass, a showcase to end all showcases, a global narcissistic publicity stunt, to end all vanity self-adulation, then I'm Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, reborn, plus the Queen of Sheba, legend come to life?

Swiftonomics or swiftogeddon?

The next President await the Taylor Swift endorsement, who need democracy?

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Except that, unlike most popular global sporting events, a huuuuge portion of Superbowl viewers watch only for the commercials and the halftime show, not for the sport at all.

garypen - those are called wives. And its why I send mine out for drinks with her friends while me and boys watch the game.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

Never jammed to any of her songs

thats because you need musical instruments to jam.

What I don't like about her is her obvious coattail riding on Travis Kelce for clout.

Shes worth, like, 10 million dollars. You'd think she'd be content with what she has.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

I think figures are not your game. Swift is worth more than $750 million. She will gross $2 billion from her world tour.

uh-huh...eyeroll

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

I have never watched the Superbowl even when I was in the States

My god.

The lost revenue....

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

Biggest? Perhaps you have not heard of the football World Cup, Champions League or Cricket World Cup.

I've heard of them. I do know its a very limited audience that would even begin to watch.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

As for Taylor Swift, I actually do know one of her songs, the "Shake it Out!" one, which is one more than some JT readers. Such comments have me wondering whether there were older people in the 1980s saying "Michael Jackson? I don't know any of his songs" or the same in earlier times about the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or Elvis. I can't imagine there would have been, so central to life pop music was.

I also have heard the "Shake it Out!" one, but lets be honest. Her music is for pre-teen girls and that will likely be the only song anyone remembers in 5 years time as shes 36 know and will be doing the Oldies circuit before we know it.

Although I realize shes clout chasing the bigger name in Travis Kelce, I hope it works out.

I hope they marry, have 5-6 kids and she finally becomes a positive role-model to those thousands of teen girls.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

The biggest sporting event in the world doesn't need this silliness.

Football fans want to concentrate on football, not this.

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

t’s not the most watched sporting event in the world by quite a distance, a huge distance in fact, but all this fuss may increase viewership

We cleared up this soccer myth a few days ago.

You know.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

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