Aramark, Int'l Micro Systems Track Spending At Citi Field

By Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal

Citi Field Gift Card Recipients Spend 20% On Food And Beverage, 80% On Merchandise

During last week’s SBJ/SBD Sports Facilities & Franchise conference, Aramark and Int'l Micro Systems Inc. (IMS) released results from conference attendee spending at the June 10 Phillies-Mets game at Citi Field. Each of the 200 attendees was given a $20 gift card for use at the ballpark, with the rapid data mining representing an example of the increased technological and CRM capabilities of the two companies. Of the 200 cards, only 117 were used during the evening, with 80% of the expenditures going toward merchandise, and 20% to food and beverages. Those 117 purchasers then collectively spent another $750 to supplement the gift cards. The 80-20 merchandise/food and beverage split is nearly a direct inverse of most ballpark spending patterns, though the conference attendees were fed in a Citi Field party suite provided by Aramark, the Mets and IMS. “The point is, there’s an awful lot of information we’re getting on a daily basis about when people are buying and what they’re buying, and the real challenge for us (now) is linking that to the who,” said Aramark Sports & Entertainment Group President Liza Cartmell.