Watching a live sports event compares to nothing, especially if you are going to watch your favourite football team play. The experience is intense and full of rewarding moments, and it is definitely worth the ticket price. However, recent stadium projects and main arenas are getting extremely innovative, especially when it comes to technology.
With ticket prices getting higher, sports fans feel like it is not fair to spend 30 minutes in line just to pay for a beer.
On top of that, because big arenas aimed to cram as many people as possible on the smallest seats to ever exist, new-generation stadiums are now focusing on providing a higher level of comfort, with nothing to obstruct your view, good food, bars, wi-fi, and why not, a faster payment system that can help you get back to your seat in time for the whistle.
A Game Day Is Better At Home
The truth is, it is so comfortable to watch the game from your own couch that paying for a stadium ticket does not make sense any more. Furthermore, we will take a look at the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium, which cost around US$1 billion to build.
The thing with modern-age arenas is that they are finally going towards a fan-focused approach. It is not about getting as many people inside but about creating the best possible experience for them to feel comfortable and enjoy the sports they love to watch.
Right now, there are people at home watching their games on a 70-inch TV that basically covers their entire wall, sitting on the most comfortable sofa they could find, with a mini fridge to their right. Stadiums have to compete with that and still convince thousands to pay that price for a ticket.
Actually, this is the reason why teams all over the world invest money in building new modern arenas. Sports lovers don’t think it is fair to pay that kind of money and not be able to even see the proper game if the seat is too far from the pitch.
Faster Payments Seem To Be The Right Solution
I am not trying to say that stadiums should implement crypto payments or come up with the most innovative technology that would completely eliminate the time you would spend waiting in lines. However, creating new and improved payment solutions might be the catch here.
Implementing state-of-the-art payment technology will not only speed up the process and help customers get their food and drinks faster but also leave some space to develop on-stadium delivery services and streamline all the financial actions, making the game day all about the game and not about a life-or-death fight for who gets to buy a hot dog first.
Building smart apps that supporters can use to order meals, pay for their ticket, and receive game updates is something we all look forward to.
It’s a Win-Win Situation
Imagine creating a much faster payment system where people would be more relaxed knowing that buying something from the stadium shops is not a burden.
- Contactless solutions – Did you know that fans tend to spend more when they have the option to use Contactless? If this is not a good business move, nothing is.
- Cashless stadiums are safer. Theft attempts will drastically reduce, vendors will not have to be careful with money, change, and stuff like that, and everyone will get to focus more on the game, which is actually the main goal after all.
Innovation Will Eventually Hit
Having the option to pay with your bank card is not an innovation. We are doing this for years now. The fact that stadiums are planning to implement this on a larger scale is a good initiative, but not something people would lose their minds about.
However, the whole cashless definitely works, but you still have thousands of people lining up to buy their beverages and snacks. The waiting times are smaller, but how can you eliminate queues for good?
Biometric Transactions
What if you just used your fingerprint to confirm a payment? It would only take two seconds for you to take your beer and leave, completely eliminating queues. Yes, you would have to register on a specific mobile app before going to the stadium, set up your physical characteristics, and you are good to go.
This actually happened before. J.P Morgan pioneered this solution at the 2023 Grand Prix. Fans would use their face or palm on a scanner that would confirm their identity and confirm the payment. The whole process took less than a second.
Another benefit of using such an app is that you can receive notifications with offers and discounts before the half-time break.
Do you know how pay by mobile casinos notify you when a new promotion is available? You already have your phone linked to your bank account, so grabbing it will take you a few seconds. The same goes for stadiums. An internal system where vendors can promote their products is definitely a new experience for fans.
Grab-And-Go
Imagine just grabbing your food or drink from a shelf, and the payment automatically processes once you leave the kiosk.
The technology is pretty simple, and it will also require you to link your card to a mobile app. The store has to be equipped with RFID scanners that monitor what exactly you are taking from the store and immediately identify the moment you leave with them.
Currently, in US stadiums, you will find 180 check-out-free stores that use this technology to help fans get back to their seats as fast as possible.
Would You Leave Your Couch Behind For Such Experiences?
The question is, are all these things enough for stadiums to create the proper experiences that would convince thousands to leave their 70-inch TV screens and soft couches at home? We are optimistic because nothing compares to a live match and the chills that atmosphere gives you.
