Technology that Supports a Sensational Fan Experience and Operational Efficiency at Open-air Venues.
Open-air venues present event planners with a distinct set of challenges. Unlike traditional indoor spaces, golf courses, tennis venues, or even the famed Kentucky Derby must contend with unpredictable weather, crowd control complexities, and robust security measures.
Modern venues orchestrate a captivating day-long fan experience – gone are the days of singular attractions. Today’s sprawling complexes boast multiple courts or grandstands, enticing shopping and concession areas, and even staggered player start times, maximizing every opportunity to captivate the audience and generate revenue.
Taming a sea of passionate fans, eager for a prime viewing spot, presents logistical perplexities. Long lines, gridlock, and potential safety breaches all demand strategic planning and technology infrastructure.
- Tech to the Rescue: Wicket facial ticketing empowers open-air venues to establish designated entry points, streamlining and expediting the flow of attendees. This seamless integration with turnstiles or gated entry points bolsters security while ensuring an efficient, frictionless experience.
Digital signage and branded entry lanes keep attendees informed about wait times and amenities while offering a revenue opportunity for sponsorship. Additionally, technology can view crowd movement, helping organizers anticipate congestion points and deploy resources proactively.
Maintaining an electric atmosphere and sustaining fan engagement throughout the day is the cornerstone of a sensational fan experience. However, short breaks between tee-times, marathon tennis matches, or high-octane horse races pose operational hurdles that can potentially impede the fan experience. Uninspired fan engagement, sluggish crowd flow within the open-air venue, and long concession lines can all lead to disgruntled attendees and dwindling revenue.
- Tech to the Rescue: The Wicket Day-Pass feature allows guests and staff to use their face as a virtual hand stamp for express re-entry in and out of the course and within the venue and premium hospitality areas. This feature optimizes fan flow while streamlining operations.
Fans do not want to miss a moment of the action waiting in line at concessions or shops. Integrating facial payments dramatically reduces wait times, historically proven to increase the basket size and revenue while improving the overall experience. Facial authentication integrated with age verification for facial payments of age restricted purchases improves security and reduces the burden on employees to authenticate a fans ID.
Unsecured by walls, open-air venues pose significant security challenges. Ensuring the safety of attendees, staff, and the athletes is paramount.
- Tech to the Rescue: Advanced security with facial authentication credentialing ensures only approved ticketed fans, staff and athletes are granted access. Additionally, implementing on-court, sideline, premium suite or elevated credentials enhances security by providing another layer of authentication.
Additionally, contactless payment systems can minimize the need for cash handling, reducing the risk of theft while allowing for the redirection of staff.
By embracing innovation, event organizers of open-air venues can ensure a safer, more enjoyable fan experience, and ultimately, a more successful event.
