After recent ballpark tests with a “biometric identity system” called Clear, in which a swipe of two fingers got fans through security, three MLB teams are thinking that wands and magnetometers are destined to go the way of buggy whips and straight razors.
Call it the E-ZPass for sports.
“From a security perspective, Clear is the next step up,” said Jorge Costa, San Francisco Giants senior vice president of ballpark operations. “There’s more certainty and it just gives you a high level of comfort. For customers, obviously it’s more expedient and it takes some of the pressure off of our security people.”
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The Yankees used Clear at two gates, starting in August, and may add to that next season.
Photo: COURTESY OF CLEAR
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The Giants started with a 10-game test of Clear in September 2014 and expanded to having a Clear lane this season, starting in May, at their busiest entrance. With the Giants and later the Colorado Rockies, the system was offered as a no-cost enhancement for season-ticket holders. Costa said that Clear’s fingerprint ID swipe moves fans through at three to five seconds a person; walking through a magnetometer, which it replaces, takes twice as much time.
“It just speeds up entry. I never saw a line at our Clear lane,” said Kevin Kahn, Rockies vice president of ballpark operations and chief customer officer. The Rockies tested the Clear system at one of the largest Coors Field gates, beginning in August.
The New York Yankees offered a Clear lane at two gates this year starting in August, making it available to all customers. “We’re focused on fan experience and security,” said Marty Greenspun, Yankees senior vice president. “It was a good enhancement to get fans into the stadium faster.” With a test at more than 25 games in September and October, the Yankees had more than 2,000 fans sign up.
This is the second iteration of Clear. The original one, started by Court TV founder Steven Brill, was shuttered in 2009 after financial problems.
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SEIDMAN-BECKER
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“Anything which strengthens security and leverages technology for a better customer experience is vital,” said Clear Chairman and CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker. “That’s why we bought Clear out of bankruptcy.”
Outside of airports and sports, she sees applications for Clear in office buildings or any kind of campus.
The Clear airport system, which costs fliers $179 annually, is now installed at 13 facilities, including Denver, San Jose and San Francisco. Clear hopes to be in the top 25 airports by the end of 2016.
While it was too early for any of the MLB clubs to have firm plans for further rollout, all were optimistic. “We’ll look to add at least another gate and more [sign-up] tabling,” said Greenspun, adding that he’d like to add sign-up locations in Manhattan.
Manhattan-based Clear says that sign-up, which includes fingerprinting, takes less than two minutes, and the clubs add that finding the best location for the sign-up booths and educating customers were the biggest challenges.
