Taylor Swift

Swifties (Nicely) Warned Against ‘Taylor-Gating' at Last MetLife Show

New Jersey's governor does not want people in the parking lots without tickets -- but at least he's nice about it

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For tens of thousands of fans at Taylor Swift's first MetLife Stadium shows on Friday and Saturday (as well as those gathered outside the stadium), to say you could see "Sparks Fly" during her performance would be an understatement.

It was an Eras Tour for the ages.

After months of buildup, the crowd of more than 82,000 Swifties roared as the singer took the stage around 8 p.m. in her first nights of shows for her Eras Tour at the East Rutherford stadium. Swift was joined on stage for performances with Ice Spice and Jack Antonoff. Her last show is Sunday night, and New Jersey's governor had a reminder.

Know Before You Go

First off, Friday was reminder of just how important it is to make sure the tickets you have are real, and you haven't been scammed. There was heartbreak at the entrance to the stadium for some fans who tried to get in with tickets they thought were good and verified — but didn't work.

A group dropped $300 per ticket, just to be denied entry due to the phony tickets. One mom flew up from Florida just for the show that the group didn't get to see after all.

"There has to be a better system for real fans. To enjoy music is like a therapy at this point and people need that, you need that security and you can't even get that anymore," said one of the frustrated fans.

If you've been scouring TikTok looking for tips and tricks, there are some people who have had luck with Ticketmaster the day of the show, even right after the shows have started. If you wake in the night, pacing like a ghost because of ticket troubles, be careful where you buy. Scammers are using different ways to dupe Swifties into sending money online for a ticket that doesn’t exist.

For more on scams, click here.

News 4's Adam Harding reports.

The good news for those who had tickets to Friday's show: It did not appear that the Memorial Day weekend getaway traffic hampered the journey to MetLife too badly, aside from a few congestion headaches that are to be expected with any show of this magnitude.

While trains and buses to the stadium were packed full of fans, there were no reports of any widespread problems getting to or from the concert on Friday.

New Jersey Transit is urging Swifties to purchase round-trip train tickets in advance, ideally on the NJ Transit app. However, NJ Transit says they will not cap the number of tickets sold. 

According to their website, fans traveling on NJ Transit trains to MetLife Stadium should purchase their roundtrip tickets from their originating station to Meadowlands Station to avoid boarding delays. Tickets purchased on the train will include a $5 surcharge for each ticket. 

MetLife Stadium says NJ Transit service will operate from Secaucus to MetLife Stadium starting at 4:17 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

Coach USA Bus, the 351 Meadowlands Express, will operate from Port Authority in NYC to MetLife Stadium starting at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Return service to Port Authority runs for 60 minutes after the concert ends. Tickets are available here.

For those planning on driving, MetLife Stadium says you must have a ticket corresponding to that evening's show for access to all parking lots. Lots open at 12:30 p.m. the day of each show. It's $40 per car, $100 per limousine and $160 per bus.

Credit cards and cash are accepted. Reminder: the rest of the stadium is cashless. Only credit and debit are accepted.

If we've learned anything from TikTok, there will be traffic, so plan accordingly. Prepaid parking is not available. No pictures to burn here, take a picture of your spot so you can find your car after the show. 

Another helpful hint for trying to get into the show as smoothly as possible: Make sure the bag you abides by the stadium's requirements.

MetLife Stadium's policy states that bags must be clear (a.k.a. see-through): 12” x 6” x 12” or less in size, and 1 bag per person. Small purses (clutch-type bags about the size of your hand) 4.5” x 6.5” or less in size (1 per person) are also allowed, and do not need to be clear.

No camera or binocular cases, backpacks, fanny packs, diaper bags, and briefcases/computer bags are allowed either.

For more information on what bags are allowed, click here.



For any other questions about what you need to know before you go, click here for a full guide.

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