Biometric Technology May Alter Methods of Payment for New England Patriots Fans at the Stadium
Sports venues and live events are embracing a new era of technology, with facial recognition systems being adopted to revolutionise the fan experience. One such venue leading the charge is Gillette Stadium, home to the NFL's New England Patriots.
The Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium, has entered into a five-year deal with NWN, a technology company specialising in biometric systems, to upgrade the IT infrastructure across all its businesses. NWN will provide the facial recognition system at Gillette Stadium, building upon their existing support for credentialing and access control at the venue.
Gillette Stadium is installing biometric systems for fans, including ticketless entry and hands-free concessions stands for payments. These advancements aim to make payments seamless and enable customised loyalty offerings, enhancing the overall fan experience.
According to Christopher Miller, Lead Analyst of Emerging Payments at Javelin Strategy & Research, biometrics enable customised loyalty programs in a way previous generations didn't. Jordan Hirschfield, Director of Prepaid at Javelin Strategy & Research, adds that a few teams are improving the digital experience, including a loyalty program and a stored value wallet.
However, Miller expresses concerns about the reliability of biometric systems in situations where there may be power outages, malfunctions, or environmental factors like glare that could affect their performance. He also questions the scalability of these systems, stating that while they may work in certain situations, their performance may not be consistent across all conditions.
The biometric systems at Gillette Stadium are still in the process of being tested and demonstrated for their practical ability to provide a consistent and reliable experience for fans. The arena space is also being developed for biometric-enhanced loyalty offerings, intended to provide a more personalised and customised experience.
In a similar development, Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, tested a facial recognition payment system where fans could simply walk up to a concession stand and place an order, with the system recognising the purchaser's face and processing the payment without the customer having to do anything.
In some sports venues, customers may need to load money in advance, and they might be rewarded for this. The biometric systems are designed to make payments more efficient, enabling fans to make purchases without the need for physical cards or wallets.
As technology continues to evolve, it's clear that the sports and live event industry is embracing these advancements to enhance the fan experience. While concerns about reliability and scalability remain, the potential benefits of biometric systems are undeniable.
