StubHub CIO Marty Boos Dishes On Technology’s Impact On Ticketing

Washington, DC – June 18, 2015 – Nationals Park: The ballpark of the Washington Nationals during a regular season game (Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)

The following interview is part of our ongoing Expert Series that asks C-level professionals, team presidents, league executives, athletic directors and other sports influencers about their latest thoughts and insights on new technologies impacting the sports industry.

Name: Marty Boos 

Company: StubHub 

Position: Chief Information Officer 

As Chief Information Officer at StubHub, Marty Boos leads the company’s technical operations team, overseeing quality operations and the engineering organization. With more than 25 years of experience in building and maintaining high-performance web infrastructure systems for leading e-commerce and retail companies, Boos plays an integral role in building a secure, reliable and streamlined buying experience for StubHub customers.

Prior to joining StubHub in 2012, he served as Chief Information Officer at MarketLive and as Vice President of NOC Operations and IT at Motorola Group. Boos holds a degree in Computer Technology from CDI Minneapolis Minnesota. 

1) What utilization of technology in sports has recently blown you away and why?

I’m impressed with what NASCAR does with their telemetry data and virtual dashboard views in every car so fans can get a feel for what it’s like to be an actual driver during a broadcast. NASCAR figured out a long time ago that this technology could be utilized to make the fan experience more engaging and authentic. It’s a great example of using a lot of data to create something cool for fans.

2) If you had to invest in one technology that would change the ticketing industry, what would it be and why?

I would love to create a central authorization network for all tickets to speed up barcode validation throughout the industry. When you buy a car, the dealer can validate your credit in one second. I would love to create a similar all-encompassing network so we can track every ticket that changes hands and create a seamless experience for the transferring of tickets for fans, regardless of where the original ticket came from.

3) If money were no object, what technology would you build or buy to help you do your job better?

Again, I have to go with a central authorization network for tickets. This would eliminate a lot of headaches and be such a great tool for customer service. We’re always open to working with the industry and new partners on innovative solutions like this for fans.

4) As a sports fan, what sports-related service, app, product, etc., could you not live without and why?

I couldn’t live without theScore app. It’s a great app for keeping up with your favorite teams, especially when you’re a fan like me that keeps track of teams from different time zones like my Vikings, Twins and Warriors.

5) If you had to project 20 years into the future, how will most fans purchase tickets to their favorite sports and entertainment events?

This is closer than 20 years, but the blending of primary and secondary ticketing is happening rapidly. In 20 years, fans aren’t going to care whether they are buying a ticket from a primary or secondary source, they will just want access to their favorite events no matter how they get it. That’s why we’re investing in innovative partnerships like the one we have with the Philadelphia 76ers where fans have just one seamless ticket shopping experience.

6) Give us your bold prediction about a form of technology that will be integral to purchasing tickets to sporting events over the next 12 months and why?

Virtual reality is quickly going to change the way people consume entertainment. We’ve already been using it at StubHub to help buyers find the seat they want. But today, I can buy a UFC fight to watch on TV for a fixed amount or pay a little extra for the fight in HD. Soon, that next level up will be with a virtual reality feature where I’m actually in the Octagon. I think that’s going to change the way we envision an entertainment experience.