Fans enjoy Super Bowl activites ahead of the big game — LIVE BLOG
Super Bowl 58 kicks off at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, but the pregame partying is already underway in Las Vegas.
Check back here throughout the day for everything happening in the city during the lead up to the Super Bowl, from weather and traffic to parties an celebrity sightings.
1:45 p.m.
Stars set to arrive
Stars are expected to begin arriving at 2 p.m. at Marquee Dayclub, located in the Cosmopolitan, for one of, if not the, most anticipated Super Bowl weekend parties, Fanatics owner Michael Rubin’s annual bash.
A who’s who of stars from sports, music and entertainment are planned to walk the blue carpet as they arrive for the afternoon bash.
Last year’s party in Arizona saw the likes of Drake, Travis Scott, Paul Rudd, Shaquille O’Neal and Joe Burrow, with reports of over 2,000 people being turned away.
-Mick Akers
1:40 p.m.
‘Worst loss of my life’
Outside of the Field of Dreams sports memorabilia store in Forum Shops at Caesars Palace there is a line of about 30 people to get an autograph from NFL hall of fame running back and former Detroit Lion Barry Sanders.
One Michigan couple, Ted and Lana Fattal, got a picture of Sanders autographed and they said it was “fantastic” to talk with Sanders. The couple traveled from Owosso, Michigan to be in Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend since they hoped the Lions would make it.
Although the Detroit Lions fell short of being in the Super Bowl plenty of Lions fans were waiting in line for an autograph from NFL legend Barry Sanders.
Ted and Lana Fattal got an autograph and traveled from Michigan for the weekend it to take the festivities. pic.twitter.com/BwFzx0ebDT
— Sean Hemmersmeier (@seanhemmers34) February 10, 2024
“We thought nine months ago the Lions had a shot at making the Super Bowl, so we bought tickets and they were just one half away from being here,” Ted Fattal said. “And it was the worse loss of my life.”
Even though the Lions didn’t get into the Super Bowl, the Fattals still decided to travel to Las Vegas for the weekend since Lana had never been and to take in the city and the festivities.
“It’s been a fun experience overall,” Lana Fattal said.
-Sean Hemmersmeier
1:10 p.m.
Glimpses of the Sphere
Some visitors are stopping on the pedestrian bridge over South Las Vegas Boulevard to The Palazzo hoping to catch a glimpse of the Sphere. A man is sitting nearby blasting music through a speaker system.
-Julie Wootton-Greener
1:05 p.m.
Sea of red for Jerry Rice
Addressing a sea of red 49ers jerseys outside the New York-New York resort, retired wide receiver Jerry Rice talked about his career from Mississippi Valley State University to the hall of fame.
Rice emphasized the power of hard work. It’s the intense training and dedication football requires that led him to three career Super Bowl wins.
A win for San Francisco is imminent, Rice said.
“No. 6 is going to happen tomorrow,” he said, as the audience chanted “G.O.A.T.,” short for greatest of all time. “This is it, baby — this is why we play the game.”
-Alan Halaly
1 p.m.
Chiefs super fan
At Mandalay Bay, hundreds of football fans made their way to the Super Bowl Experience in the hotel’s convention center.
The Experience, a fan fest full of all things pro football, has been running since Wednesday, but Saturday was significantly busier than the weekdays.
Don Lobmeyer, a Chiefs super fan from Woodstock, Kansas, was turning heads and posing for photos with his costume, which consisted of an inflatable dragon, a headpiece full of spikes, and a Patrick Mahomes jersey that says “MA HO HO HOMES” on the back.
Asked if he was going to the game on Sunday, Lobmeyer said he was not. In addition to tickets being too expensive, he didn’t want to cause a scene.
“I would be more of a distraction at the game than Taylor Swift if I was wearing this up there,” he said.
– Brett Clarkson
12:45 p.m.
Upbeat Strip activity
The central Las Vegas Strip is very active with plenty of pedestrians walking past street performers and preachers. The energy is upbeat despite the windy weather.
I’m on the Las Vegas Strip today seeing how the city is preparing for its first Super Bowl.
Energy is upbeat and seems dozens of people are in line for the Expedition Vegas fan expedition that’s taking place in front of the Mirage. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/YhGHHkOCJU
— Sean Hemmersmeier (@seanhemmers34) February 10, 2024
There are three different lines to get into the Expedition Vegas fan activation experience in front of the Mirage. Each line has dozens of fans waiting to get in and probably around 150 to 200 people waiting to get into Expedition Vegas.
– Sean Hemmersmeier
12:30 p.m.
Who’s gonna win?
John Murray, the executive director of Race and Sports Book Operations at the Westgate’s Superbook said the foot traffic today has been heavier than usual, not just because of the Super Bowl but because of the LIV Golf event at the Las Vegas Country Club.
He said it’s been an interesting weekend as many of the Westgate’s regular VIPs who come for big games are all going to the big game tomorrow, so he’s not sure who will be in the seats at the Westgate’s Superbook.
Murray said it’s all hands on deck all weekend as he will be staying the night Saturday in a room at the Westgate, then hitting the floor tomorrow morning around 8 a.m. So, who is he picking for tomorrow?
“It’s tough because I have done a number of interviews where I have said I’ve seen a lot of our more respected betters taking San Francisco,” he said.
According to DraftKings, the San Francisco 49ers are the favorites to win the Super Bowl at -120 odds over the Kansas City Chiefs, who are two-point underdogs.
“But the public players are mostly on Kansas City, but we saw a lot of our private guys taking Baltimore and public guys taking Kansas City (during the AFC championship) and we all saw what happened there. So a lot of our respected betters are on the 49ers but they did the same thing 13 days ago (taking the favorite in the Baltimore Ravens vs. Chiefs game) and it went up in smoke, so we will see what happens tomorrow.”
-Patrick Blennerhassett
12:15 p.m.
Super Bowl surprises local newlyweds
Las Vegas residents Max and Maya Corisier see a lot of parallels between themselves and faked fictional couple Ross and Rachel from the TV show “Friends.” So it only made sense to get married at Little White Wedding Chapel, where their fictional counterparts also tied the knot.
It’s like a series finale for the couple that’s been together for more than a decade and their friend group. Many are soon moving out of town, expecting children and beginning new chapters.
“We did it this weekend because there’s a lot of change going on in our lives and we wanted to celebrate,” Max Corisier said.
“We didn’t realize it was Super Bowl weekend until we saw how hard it was to get everything,” Maya Corisier said.
The couple and their wedding party of about 15 people said they will celebrate with brunch at La Neta in Summerlin.
-McKenna Ross
12:05 p.m.
‘Super excited’ for the Super Bowl
All through the airport are people in long-sleeved purple shirts welcoming airport arrivals to Las Vegas.
They’re volunteers working with the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee and many of them carry around a Nevada-shaped picture frame and a prop football, offering to take passers-by’s pictures commemorating their arrival.
“This is my fourth Super Bowl,” said Cheryl Anderson, one of about 70 from the Minneapolis area to volunteer.
“Everybody is super excited,” added Las Vegas volunteer Stephen Harenza.
He said every Super Bowl host committee has its own theme color and it often features a color from one of the competing teams. “I think someone thought the Ravens were going to be here,” he said.
Volunteers pass out Super Bowl Host Committee stickers that feature a Las Vegas logo and the profiles of some of the city’s iconic buildings. On the reverse side of the sticker is a QR code that, when downloaded, lists some of the many Super Bowl-related activities around town.
-Richard N. Velotta
12 p.m.
‘Engage the community’
Families mingled with players, cheerleaders and mascots Saturday morning during the NFL Play Football Family Festival at Desert Oasis High School.
“It’s a way to continue to just engage the community,” said Roman Oben, a 12-year NFL veteran and the league’s vice-president of football development.
Events like this one, he said, are designed to bring the game to families who may not make it to the Strip for other Super Bowl-related events, as well as those who may never make it to a game in person.
Students could perform drills and participate in coaching clinics. Players including Washington’s Jahan Dotson, Arizona’s Trey McBride and Carolina’s Jeremy Chinn signed autographs. Raiderettes and Raider Rusher posed for photos. And mascots Sourdough Sam and KC Wolf interacted with fans while cheerleaders from the 49ers and Chiefs gave fans a preview of their Super Bowl performances.
-Christopher Lawrence
11:35 a.m.
Taking in the views
The festivities are just beginning and traffic isn’t heavy on the south side of the Strip as people make their way in and out of resorts and shopping areas.
Decked out in both Chiefs and 49ers gear, people are still stopping to take in the views from pedestrian bridges despite a county ordinance that says blocking foot traffic could result in a misdemeanor.
-Alan Halaly
11:30 a.m.
Wedding rings and Super Bowl rings
Little White Wedding Chapel was steadily booked with couples Saturday, some taking advantage of the Super Bowl to get their own rings.
Michigan residents Keri and Jimmy, who declined to share their last names because the elopement wasn’t known to their children yet, waited for their ceremony at the popular celebrity chapel. The couple has been engaged since September and considered a more traditional ceremony but decided to take advantage of their Super Bowl-related weekend vacation to wed.
“We decided it’s just about us,” Keri said.
The newly married couple said they will celebrate with dinner at Aria and the Luke Combs performance during the BetMGM Big Game Bash at The Cosmopolitan tonight.
-McKenna Ross
11:12 a.m.
No signs of price surging
It isn’t too busy yet at Harry Reid International Airport’s baggage claim carousels as arrivals continue to roll in.
The same could not be said for the ride-hailing pickup zone which had close to 100 waiting for their rides on Uber and Lyft.
So far, no sign of price surging.
Depending on the level of ser vice chosen on Uber, a ride to the center Strip would cost between $21.13 and $41.97 at this time.
Many arrivals at the Las Vegas airport are wearing their Chiefs and 49ers gear.
– Richard N. Velotta
11 a.m.
‘Free pictures, beautiful backdrop’
Volunteers wearing purple Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee shirts are stationed along the Strip handing out free stickers.
A Super Bowl-themed photo backdrop is set up in front of fountains at Caesars Palace.
“Free pictures over here,” a volunteer told tourists. “Beautiful backdrop.”
Las Vegas resident Abel Pina was among the volunteers.
Pina, who has lived in Las Vegas for 11 years and is originally from Portugal, was volunteering for a third day. He was filling an 8 a.m. to noon shift.
On Sunday, he’s working a paid gig at an event near Allegiant Stadium.
Pina said he was handing out stickers Saturday and “promoting our city.”
He said he has interacted with people from as far away as Germany and Scotland “and they just came for the game.”
-Julie Wootton-Greener
10:30 a.m.
Calm before the kickoff – for now
Pedestrian and vehicle traffic is light on the Strip near Treasure Island. Visitors are bundled up and walking briskly as a bitterly cold wind blows, except for one jogger wearing shorts. There are many open parking spots at the Fashion Show Mall.
-Julie Wootton-Greener
10 a.m.
What’s the over-under on TSA screenings?
The last few fans in town for Super Bowl 58 are trickling in to Harry Reid International Airport on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Also trickling in – Transportation Security Administration agents from more than 20 airports from around the country who will support TSA’s local crew to keep every lane and every checkpoint open for 48 straight hours once the game ends.
Traffic flow through the airport is going to be a lot like going to the game. Arrivals are pretty spread out, with teams, game officials, pregame and halftime performers, concessionnaires and the media arriving at a gradual pace on game day.
But when it’s over, everybody is trying to get out at once.
The TSA is anticipating 118,000 departing passengers and crew will flow through security lines. If accurate, Monday has the potential of beating the Reid daily record for screenings, 103,499 on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. That weekend concluded several Halloween-themed events and was a three-day Nevada Day weekend.
– Richard N. Velotta
9:18 a.m.
Clear skies ahead in Vegas
After a week of rain and snow, including nearly 100 inches at Lee Canyon, the Las Vegas sky should be clear for Super Bowl weekend.
Saturday was clearing after early morning showers. A high near 52 is forecast. There could be afternoon breezes to 22 mph.
Sunday should be clear with a high near 54. Winds will be mostly calm.
— Marvin Clemons
8:45 a.m.
A good day to fly to Vegas
It looks like it’s going to be a good day for flying into Harry Reid International Airport today.
FlightAware, which tracks aircraft movement worldwide, listed 22 flight delays and no cancellations at Las Vegas’ airport as of 8:45 a.m.
Delays or cancellations usually occur as a result of weather or air traffic control snags around the country.
On FlightAware’s “misery map” showing the top U.S. airports for delays and cancellations, Kansas City International Airport was all clear, but San Francisco International and the two nearby airports in Oakland and San Jose had eight delays this morning.
The most delayed airport between 6 and 10 a.m., local time, today: Denver International, with 29 delays. Nationwide, there were 854 delays and 21 cancellations for flights within, into or out of every U.S. airport.
– Richard N. Velotta
