What to know about SoFi Stadium before going to the Taylor Swift Eras concert
Swifties are getting ready to pack SoFi Stadium for six nights as part of Taylor Swift’s career-spanning Eras tour. Are you ready for it? Here’s everything you need to know about attending the concerts in Inglewood.
What should you do before you arrive at SoFi Stadium?
The cell service at SoFi Stadium is OK, and there’s WiFi, but just in case the connection isn’t working, make sure to have your ticket ready to go on your phone’s digital wallet before you arrive so you can get into the stadium without any issues.
Level-by-level maps of the stadium that show you where the closest restrooms, concession stands, snacks and drinks are located are available on the stadium’s website: www.sofistadium.com (SoFi Stadium has an app, but right now it only redirects you to the website.)
If you plan to park at the stadium, you must have a parking pass. Make sure to pre-buy your parking. To make it easier to enter and exit the stadium, buy parking in the area closest to your designated stadium entrance.
Plenty of parking spots are still available for Swift’s shows, but not in the lots on the stadium grounds. For those, you’ll have to go through a reseller and pay even more.
What’s the bag policy?
SoFi Stadium has a clear bag policy. If you plan to bring a bag, it must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and should not be bigger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches. Alternatively, you can bring a clear one-gallon plastic freezer bag or small clutch that can’t be bigger than 4 inches by 6 inches.
You are not allowed to bring purses, backpacks, briefcases, coolers, fanny packs, oversize totes, computer bags, camera bags, non-approved seat cushions, luggage or any bag that is larger than the permissible size.
If you do bring any bag that isn’t allowed in the stadium, it can be checked in at a designated bag check area. But you will have to pay $20 to check a bag
What does the stadium look like?
SoFi stadium is huge. If you’d like to see a map of the place, there are some on the stadium’s website. The structure is segmented, which can make it hard to get from one area or level to another. So, when deciding which entrance to approach, use the one recommended on your ticket.
The stadium also has a double-sided video board hanging from the roof, called the Infinity Screen. The elliptical board is 70,000 square feet and was built by Samsung.
Everyone should be able to see the screen no matter where they are sitting, which is good news for people who have a partially obstructed view of the stage.
Not a lover of $100 parking spaces? There are plenty of ways to get to Taylor Swift’s concerts at SoFi Stadium by train or bus.
Does SoFi Stadium have air conditioning?
SoFi Stadium does not have air conditioning. But back in 2020, Times football writer Sam Farmer reported that on a hot August day, it felt 10 degrees cooler inside the stadium than outside. That’s because of the breeze and the fancy roof.
What’s up with that roof?
The roof at SoFi Stadium is fixed and allows people inside the stadium to see the sky.
As Sam Lubell, an architecture writer, wrote in The Times:
“In classic SoCal fashion, the stadium, its edges open to the outdoors along the sides, blurs the line between interior and exterior, inviting visitors, and views, inside. It pulls in ocean breezes through its aerodynamic shape, its permeable flanks, the lifting of its seating bowl above the ground-level concourse and massive (60 feet by 60 feet) adjustable openings in its roof that can slide like sunroofs on cars. These openings can ‘tune’ the wind flow, according to HKS, which designed recent stadiums for the Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys.
“The roof, which covers and unifies the stadium bowl, plaza and adjacent arena, is clad in ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, or ETFE, a tough, translucent plastic that, thanks to its dotted frit pattern, shades fans from about half of the sun’s heat. (If you’ve roasted at the Coliseum or at Dodger Stadium, you will appreciate that.) The ETFE also will allow concerts, community gatherings, e-sports, the Super Bowl and the Olympics to carry on in the rare case of rain.”
From her first Fearless tour to her Eras tour, Taylor Swift’s fans have come up with many traditions during her shows. Here’s what to say or do, when and why.
Can you bring any food or drinks to SoFi Stadium?
You are not allowed to bring in any food or drinks except for one factory-sealed water bottle that is 20 ounces or less, or a clear, soft-sided empty reusable water bottle to fill up at the hydration stations. Sing your heart out without drying your throat.
The stadium has many different types of food available. Make sure to bring a credit, debit or gift card. Vendors do not accept cash.
Cuisine options include pan-Asian flavors, Italian food, Mexican food, burgers and deli options. Beer, wine, soda and water are available.
There are vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options too.
Times staff writer Jenn Harris has tried all of the regular-season food at the stadium and recommends staying away from the crispy potato tacos and crispy shrimp taco and instead trying the meatballs and tsunami tots.
If you’d like to enjoy food and drinks outside of the stadium, The Times’ Food staff has a list of the best nearby places to eat and drink.
For more information, check out the stadium’s A-Z guide on their website, as well as their Plan Your Visit section. You can also check out the stadium’s site dedicated to people attending the tour.
Updates
12:59 p.m. Aug. 4, 2023: This story has been updated with information about the SoFi Stadium website and app.
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