It’s Super Bowl week, and like it or not, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — the world’s most famous couple — are a big part of it. And Yahoo has all the latest “Traylor” news, including his preparation for the big game and her post-Grammys ramp-up for her “Eras Tour” dates in Tokyo on the eve of the Super Bowl — and whether she’ll make it back to Las Vegas in time for kickoff.
Where are they right now?
• Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs arrived in Las Vegas Sunday, a full week ahead of their Super Bowl matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.
• Swift, fresh off her history-making night at the Grammys in Los Angeles, is heading to Tokyo, where she is scheduled to play four sold-out concerts, part of her “Eras Tour,” from Feb. 7 through 10.
Swift’s big night
Taylor Swift made history at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, taking home Album of the Year for Midnights and becoming the first artist to win it four times. (Swift moved past three-time Album of the Year winners Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.) She also announced a new album, The Tortured Poets Department, will be released April 19.
Trav’s reaction to the Grammys
Speaking to reporters at the Super Bowl’s media day Monday, Kelce said he was in awe of Swift’s Album of the Year win.
“It was pretty amazing, she’s unbelievable,” Kelce said. She’s rewriting the history books herself. I told her I’ll have to hold up my end of the bargain and come home with hardware, too.”
Kelce also confirmed that he’s heard parts of Swift’s new Tortured Poets album, but refused to divulge any details.
“I have heard some of it yes, and it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I can’t wait for her to shake up the world when it finally drops. I can’t give you anything. I leave that up to her.”
Q&A
REPORTER: What’s it like playing in front of Taylor knowing that she’s in the stadium?
KELCE: It’s similar to playing in front of my family. They’re the reason why I do play. They’re the reason why I go out there and play with such excitement. IMy family has given me the tools and the love for sports and this game. So to be able to go out there and represent them in a way and give them something to cheer for, it’s the best feeling.
Weather forecast
While the concerts and Super Bowl will be played inside in domes, the weather outside could play a role in Swift’s possible trip from Tokyo to Las Vegas to see Kelce play.
Tokyo
• High: 45°F; Low: 30°F
Chilly with clouds giving way to some sun.
Las Vegas
• High: 54°F; Low: 42°F
Cool with periods of rain.
Source: AccuWeather
Swift’s potential flight plan
The 5,500-mile from Tokyo to Las Vegas takes approximately 12 hours and crosses 17 time zones, but Swift should nonetheless have plenty of time to get to Sin City for Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“If she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins,” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement posted to X on Feb. 2. “We know that many people in Japan are excited to experience Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour,’ so we wanted to confirm that anyone concerned can be Fearless in knowing that this talented performer can wow Japanese audiences and still make it to Las Vegas to support the Chiefs.”
🇯🇵 Statement from the Embassy of Japan on Taylor Swift’s Reported Travel from Japan to the United States ✈️🏈 Are you ready for it? pic.twitter.com/wFKadehTJk
— Japan Embassy DC🌸 (@JapanEmbDC) February 2, 2024
By the numbers
102,000,000
— The estimated number of albums by Taylor Swift sold in 2023
11,328
— The number of receiving yards by Travis Kelce in his NFL career
5,550
— The number of miles between Tokyo and Las Vegas
$40 million
— Kelce’s estimated net worth
$1.1 billion
— Swift’s estimated net worth
Betting on the big game
In addition to the usual crush of Super Bowl betting odds, sportsbooks both in and outside the U.S. are embracing the Traylor mania, offering prop bets related to the pop star and her All-Pro boyfriend.
Nevada-based operator STN Sports, for example, is offering a “Tight End vs. Pop Star” prop bet that asks whether Kelce will have more receptions in the game than Swift’s 10 platinum albums.
While U.S. sportsbooks are not allowed to offer props specifically related to Swift or her actions during the game, sportsbooks in other parts of the world are able to do so. Several have prop bets listed for how many times Swift will be shown on the CBS broadcast of the Super Bowl. Others have put odds on a Kelce-Swift on-field marriage proposal.
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The Swift-Kelce conspiracy theories
The Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance has triggered plenty of wild conspiracy theories that seem to have only gotten wilder after the Chiefs advanced to the Super Bowl. Some notable far right media and political figures, including Fox News host Jesse Watters and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, have gone as far to suggest that Swift is part of a psychological operation backed by the U.S. government, NFL and Democratic Party to help deliver the 2024 presidential election to Joe Biden.
The Pentagon even issued a tongue-in-cheek statement denying the outlandish claims.
“As for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told Politico. “But that does highlight that we still need Congress to approve our supplemental budget request as Swift-ly as possible so we can be out of the woods with potential fiscal concerns.”
