Paper Chased: 49ers To Use Mobile Ticketing As Primary Delivery Method In '15

The 49ers plan to use mobile ticketing as the primary delivery method of season tickets next year at Levi’s Stadium after seeing heavy adoption of the technology this season, according to team COO Al Guido. For the '15 season, fans can still use the print-at-home feature but the team will no longer mail commemorative tickets, Guido said. Midway through the '14 season, the 49ers have seen 60% of season-ticket holders link their tickets to the stadium’s mobile app. This Sunday, a season-high 30,000 season-ticket holders are expected to use the app to gain access for the game against the Rams. Overall, 50% of all ticket holders have used the app or printed their tickets at home for entry. In addition, 70% of season-ticket holders are linked to the app's parking feature. To promote the technology and drive further adoption, the 49ers are distributing prizes for the five remaining home games this season, including a team-branded '14 Toyota Tundra valued at $50,000 that is currently on display at the stadium’s team store. Gift certificates for the team store and Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak & Pub, the stadium’s restaurant, a Sony 65-inch television and a trip for two to the Pro Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., are other prizes. All fans using the mobile ticketing feature are eligible for the promotion. “Our goal when we launched this system was to drive adoption and the numbers have been mind-boggling,” Guido said. “To already have almost half the season bowl locked into mobile is fantastic. We want to rip the band-aid in year two, and that’s what we’re doing.” In lieu of commemorative tickets typically mailed to season-ticket holders, the 49ers will send premium gifts prior to the regular season. The team used a similar tactic this year, sending out duffel bags, ear phones and wireless chargers to those customers. Guido said, “We’ll be using those dollars (normally spent to produce paper tickets) for other gifts.”