Digital ID Verification Reduces Stadium Entry Wait Times by 68%

Digital identity verification and blockchain-based ticketing are helping stadium operators enhance the fan experience by letting them spend less time waiting in lines and more time at the event they came to see.

Some of the latest solutions and their benefits are outlined in the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Novel ID Verification Technologies in Stadiums Can Change the Game Beyond Sports.”

Digital ID Speeds Entry to Event Venues

Digital ID and barcode-based ID verification technologies like the MLB’s Go-Ahead Entry can reduce wait times when entering the stadium by as much as 68%, according to the report.

The system creates a touchless, quick and secure process by linking facial recognition with ticket accounts.

With the Go-Ahead Entry biometric ticketing system, fans can submit a selfie through the MLB Ballpark app, PYMNTS reported in March. The selfie is converted into a numerical token that enables authentication of the fan’s ticket via face scan upon entry to the park, all while ensuring privacy by not storing a photo of the fan’s face.

“Go-Ahead Entry is a completely optional, fast and easy, hands-free, free-flow entry experience, where fans don’t need to stop or get their phone out to scan a ticket,” MLB spokesperson Karri Zaremba told PYMNTS in an interview posted in October. “The main goals of Go-Ahead Entry are to address fan feedback about having to wait in lines at the gate and convert what was previously a potentially frustrating experience into a welcoming and delightful experience.”

Blockchain-Based Ticketing Enhances Operational Efficiency

Blockchain-based ticketing has also improved the stadium ticketing process, delivering improved ticket authenticity, fraud prevention and better fan engagement, per the report.

Powered by non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain-based ticketing offers enhanced operational efficiency and increased security and is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 13.7% through 2031.

The leading ticket operator in the Formula 1 world, Platinum Group, introduced NFT ticketing to provide enhanced security, personalized experiences, cheaper ticketing and, for companies, increased revenue streams. The easily verifiable authenticity of NFT tickets positions them as a more secure alternative to traditional online tickets.

In another deployment of this technology, Live Nation Entertainment said in 2021 that it was collaborating with artists to create collectible NFT ticket stubs.

Privacy Concerns Pose a Challenge

While digital ID verification and blockchain-based ticketing provide benefits for both fans and stadium operators, the technologies also face challenges when it comes to their adoption by new users, according to the report.

Chief among these hurdles are privacy concerns. Fans are often worried about data misuse and surveillance.

To overcome fans’ resistance to these technologies, stadiums can employ solutions like barcode scanning, working within regulatory limits, and balancing inclusivity and reliability, the report said.

Demand for ID Verification Solutions Grows

There is growing demand for identity verification solutions beyond traditional markets like real estate, banking and retail, Intellicheck said in November.

“But what I’m happy to say is we look at the other verticals we’re going into, and even some of the customers in those verticals haven’t fully implemented [our solutions], and we know what they’re going to do,” Intellicheck CEO Bryan Lewis said Nov. 14 during the company’s quarterly earnings call. “I’m happy that well over a year ago, we decided to make sure that we were looking at other places that need to know that you are who you say you are.”