Orlando City SC this season went paperless for tickets, and next year, as part of a recent multiyear extension with Ticketmaster, the club will use “tap and go” technology, according to Alicia DelGallo of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Orlando City CRO Chris Gallagher called the new tech a “game changer.” Gallagher: “As the fans are entering the stadium they will simply just tap on what Ticketmaster is calling ... an enclosure, think of it like a kiosk, and there’s a screen on this device and they just tap their phone and they’re in." Gallagher said that 65% of fans "used mobile tickets" to enter games this season. The remaining 35% "used physical tickets received at the stadium or season ticket member cards." Gallagher said that the "'tap and go' technology can be compared to what stores now use for credit card payments or Disney’s entry system minus the fingerprint recognition." Gallagher said that fans "may not even have to physically tap their phones ... because it may work when their mobile devices simply get close to the screen." Season-ticket holders in '18 "will need to opt-in if they want physical cards, which will now be RFID (Radio-frequency identification) cards so that they also work with the 'tap and go' system." The club "expects the new technology to significantly speed up lines," as slow entry "was an issue last season." But Gallagher said it had "more to do with working out logistics in a new stadium and security backups due to the league’s clear bag policy, things he said the club will continue working to improve." Orlando City "hoped to test 'tap and go'" during the final matches this season, but Gallagher said Ticketmaster "wanted more time to perfect the technology" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/24).
