The Sports Venue of the Future is Already Here
How 1 million enrolled users and 10 million successful interactions proved that facial authentication in sports venues adds value–and is here to stay
In the age of AI and an increasingly-connected world, much can change in a few years.
The facial recognition industry had its first mainstream moment in November of 2017 when Apple introduced Face ID™ to nearly 100 million iPhone users, and by the time the Cleveland Browns launched Express Access with Wicket in 2020, a growing segment of consumers was already becoming familiar with using the new technology.
Industry appetite for the technology was further validated through the introduction of MLB Go-Ahead Entry in 2023 and Intuit Dome’s launch of GameFace ID as a critical part of their new $2 Billion state-of-the-art arena in 2024.
KEY FINDINGS
131 Million
Daily users of facial recognition technology in the United States
80%
Of fans surveyed found facial authentication more convenient
10 million
Facial authentication interactions completed using Wicket
Wicket
8x
Increase in new enrollments and usage of Wicket between 2024 and 2026
Wicket
Behind the Numbers
We set out to analyze the past 5 years of 1st-party and independent 3rd-party data to gauge the impact of facial authentication technology on the modern game day experience. The numbers reveal that not only adoption of the technology continues to grow, but so does the number of applications where it’s being used.
Watching the fans who use it, it’s fun to watch their eyes light up when the screen flashes their name.
Karl Pierburg
CTO
AMB Sports and Entertainment
I saw a lot of people do it and go ‘wow, that was easy’- for me it’s a no-brainer to solve a problem that fans are most vocal about.
Mike Castle
Associate Athletic Director of Ticketing
University of Florida
I was at the gates the first time we used it. You could see the excitement on their faces, never having to pull out their phones to show an electronic ticket. It was like they were saying, ‘That’s it?’
Brandon Covert
VP of IT
Haslam Sports Group
An Industry in Motion
The new game day is here, and the trend points in one direction.
THE BIG QUESTION
Ok, the technology is cool, but will people actually use it?
In the early years of the Wicket platform, prospects were skeptical—would fans opt in to use this new technology?
Unlike covert facial recognition surveillance systems, the Wicket platform is overt by design and requires all users to opt-in and enroll by supplying a photo to use for authentication as part of ticketing, credentialing, and payments workflows.
Fan-facing use cases like express ticketing and payments were some of the earliest use cases of the Wicket platform, but as teams and venues saw the benefits for themselves and understood how readily the technology could be adapted to suit different applications, they began using the technology internally for staff and employees, as well as for building access control and gameday credentialing.
It took Wicket 3 years to reach 1 million facial authentication-enabled transactions at customer venues and facilities, but only 1 more year to reach 3 million. That growth, was in part, due to the NFL’s adoption of Wicket technology for a league-wide credentialing program. This program leveraged facial authentication at security checkpoints—across all 30 NFL venues—to streamline entry for credentialed individuals seeking to access secure areas such as locker rooms, press boxes, and playing fields.
THE PROOF
49%
Nearly half of all survey respondents are currently using biometrics at their venue
9.3/10
Rating of facial authentication program by fans, the highest rated fan survey item
Cleveland Browns
90%
Percentage of surveyed fans who wanted to see the facial authentication program expanded
New York Mets
Huntington Bank Field Guest
It’s super convenient, and it pulls up all the tickets I have right there, so I can skip the line and get right in. I think it’s probably gonna be the future.
Citi Field Guest
I’ve used this all season. Super slick. Don’t even have to stop walking.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Guest
Where We Are Today
10 million transactions completed across 200 customer venues and growing
GROWING ADOPTION
Going Global
Continents using facial authentication at sports venues and events
Use Across Leagues
US Sports venues using facial authentication technology, by league, today
Growing Usage
Number of sports venues with 100,000+ Wicket facial authentication transactions, by year
Use Case Growth
Number of venues and events deploying multiple Wicket facial authentication use cases, by year
Tangible Returns on Investment
Addressing historic challenges in live events: revenue, loyalty, and time
Fans spend $20 more for food and beverage if wait times are cut in half.
MORE REVENUE
Fans spend $20 more for food and beverage if wait times are cut in half.
Aramark measured that Wicket sped up payments at self-checkout stands by 2x
Loyalty program members generate between 12-18% more revenue.
BETTER LOYALTY
Loyalty program members generate between 12-18% more revenue.
Enrolled Browns fans automatically receive Dawg Rewards discounts, making loyalty programs more rewarding
Every additional 1% of time spent in venue results in 1.3% increase in sales.
FASTER LINES
Every additional 1% of time spent in venue results in 1.3% increase in sales.
The Cleveland Browns found that Wicket sped up ingress by 4x
The industry has spoken, and the benefits are real. What are you waiting for?
What was only a vision 5 years ago is now a tangible reality—reducing wait times, enabling better operations, and increasing fan satisfaction and revenue for venues across the globe.
The first-adopters and innovators have paved the way, optimizing processes and establishing best practices, while the price-to-performance ratio of the enabling technology has dropped substantially. So there’s only one question that remains if your venue hasn’t begun utilizing facial authentication technology; what are you waiting for?
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Wicket is a privacy-first facial authentication platform provider that reduces friction, enhances fan, employee, and guest experiences, and strengthens security for live events and credentialed facilities.
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