If you are like many sports fans who greatly miss the art and design of the paper ticket era, and lament over the transition to 100% digital ticketing via the smartphone, the latest trend in event entry may disappoint you even more. But be prepared, it’s coming.
The AHL’s San Diego Gulls will debut facial recognition ticket admission and concession payments for tonight’s game against the Abbotsford Canucks at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, according to Sport Techie.
Fans can register for the optional facial recognition services at Pechanga Arena by uploading a selfie and form of payment to PopID. PopID’s software will integrate into point-of-sale devices at the arena’s ticketing gates and concession stands, allowing ticketed fans to enter the arena and pay for food and beverages by simply standing in front of the facial verification kiosks.
According to Sport Techie, PopID has upcoming plans to debut facial verification at the Fresno, Calif.-based Save Mart Center and the Ontario, Calif.-based Toyota Arena, as well as the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. ASM Global is a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which operates major sports venues such as Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and the Target Center in Minneapolis.
It’s difficult to see facial recognition as a full takeover for ticketing, because of the issues related to secondary sales, but the trend is going in that direction.