Sharks/SAP Center going all electronic (no physical tickets, cash), eliminating concession lines

LadyStanley

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
105,522
18,667
Sin City


During the live draft coverage, president Becher came on to talk about how things will be for ALL SAP Center events.

Tickets have gone digital. Access via smart phone app. (I'm assuming that there's some way for folks without smartphones to get access, but he did not explain any of that.) This not only includes Sharks and Barracuda games, but also all concerts and events.

All concessions and merchandise have gone cashless. For those who do not have debit or credit card, there will be a "reverse ATM" where you put money in and fill a Sharks branded debit card. (Card can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted.) No charge to add monies to card.

You can order concessions via app and you'll be notified when it's available for pick up.
 

LadyStanley

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
105,522
18,667
Sin City
What about game night walk in tickets? How would that work?

If you have a smart phone, probably the same way.

(Would also nominally eliminate will call as well.)

As I said, he did not explain how folks WITHOUT smartphones would access events.
 

PCSPounder

Stadium Groupie
Apr 12, 2012
2,848
564
The Outskirts of Nutria Nanny
This I know… no printed exceptions for Timbers tickets this year.

Not sure they’ve gone cashless and not all concession lines are eliminated, but being able to order and then pick up makes the process a lot faster when employed. Given the lack of space in the Providence Park concourse compared to EVERY NHL arena, could be worse.

You could argue that there’s been a little noise made about this in Portland, but it’s hard to really tell who’s not going to games because of that versus the numbers who are not because they’re not ready to get back into crowds yet due to pandemic.
 

Bizz

2023 LTIR Loophole* Cup Champions
Oct 17, 2007
10,906
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San Jose
Now they just need to eliminate the security checkpoints and the insanely sexist handbag rules.
 
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royals119

Registered User
Jun 12, 2006
1,457
1,139
West Lawn, PA
You can order concessions via app and you'll be notified when it's available for pick up.

Can he somehow convince every arena operator that this is the best way to go? It doesn't need to be the only option, but it should be an option. I would love to be able to pre-order from my seat, pay via the app, and then go pick up the food when it is ready. I love going to games, but I hate missing part of the game to stand in line for food and drinks. Unfortunately at my local minor league team it is unavoidable. The lines during intermission take longer than the intermission, so you either have to leave your seat before the intermission, or you miss the beginning of the next period.
 
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BigBadBruins7708

Registered User
Dec 11, 2017
13,558
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Las Vegas
Now they just need to eliminate the security checkpoints and the insanely sexist handbag rules.

How is it sexist when the rules apply to both genders equally? last time I checked a guy cant bring in a bigger bag that isn't clear.

On topic, its all about greed. Teams for decades have hated not getting any $ from the 2nd hand market, now with digital only tickets that they control (as in, you never actually own the ticket as the consumer) they can get paid more than once for the same seat and the same game and set the market as the only 2nd hand market supplier.
 
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Oddbob

Registered User
Jan 21, 2016
15,740
10,264
This gets rid of concession lines, how? If you have digital/phone tickets, you still have to lineup to have them scanned. You can't just magically enter the building and go to seat with no lineup. Same with food/merch, you can't have thousands of people all just in random spots demanding what they want.
 

Oddbob

Registered User
Jan 21, 2016
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Also, how do you get rid of tickets last minute if you can't go?
 

Centrum Hockey

Registered User
Aug 2, 2018
2,089
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Also, how do you get rid of tickets last minute if you can't go?
You can usually sell tickets online until a few hours before game time. The traveling hockey fans i have talked to say that buying tickets at the last min is the only way they have gotten rangers tickets at a reasonable price.
 
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DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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This gets rid of concession lines, how? If you have digital/phone tickets, you still have to lineup to have them scanned. You can't just magically enter the building and go to seat with no lineup. Same with food/merch, you can't have thousands of people all just in random spots demanding what they want.

Obvious you haven't had a ticket scanned before.
 

BigBadBruins7708

Registered User
Dec 11, 2017
13,558
18,296
Las Vegas
Obvious you haven't had a ticket scanned before.

In general, its slower than paper tickets.

At it's best it's no faster than tearing the stub off a ticket.

In usual practice its slower because the scanner doesn't pick it up right away, or they turn up the brightness, or they gotta find the email, etc.
 

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
7,291
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YEG-->YYJ-->YWG-->YYB
In general, its slower than paper tickets.

At it's best it's no faster than tearing the stub off a ticket.

In usual practice its slower because the scanner doesn't pick it up right away, or they turn up the brightness, or they gotta find the email, etc.

Funny that you talk about scanning tickets being slower than tearing off a stub.

They've been scanning paper tickets for decades.

You cant blame the system for your own faults.
 

Kane One

Moderator
Feb 6, 2010
43,000
10,495
Brooklyn, New NY
Funny that you talk about scanning tickets being slower than tearing off a stub.

They've been scanning paper tickets for decades.

You cant blame the system for your own faults.
People always have their paper tickets ready. With mobile tickets, I’m always stuck behind some person who is digging through their phone to find their tickets.
 

LadyStanley

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
105,522
18,667
Sin City
And you have to take the phone out of the pocket/purse to go through security.


I usually try to have ticket "up" on the phone, swipe it closed to go through security. Then all I need to do is open up and show phone to be scanned.
 

KeydGV21

Registered User
Jul 25, 2006
1,817
240
People always have their paper tickets ready. With mobile tickets, I’m always stuck behind some person who is digging through their phone to find their tickets.

I personally notice the opposite…people fumble through wallets for credit cards and tickets…

when using their phone to pay or as a ticket their usually efficient as we all live on our phones.

either way, I assume if you’re the group that waits last minute to dig through your wallet, you are the group that will wait to find your app…

it isn’t the technology that will slow this down, it is oblivious people..
 

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