Syracuse Goes Mobile Ticketing (Luddites Take Note)

[sutomcat]

cell phone can handle the issue, but that requires 3-4 vendors to invest quite a chunk of money and also get the city to allow it.

Wifi is something everyone who has a mobile device can use. Given that SU already has a giant pipe for Internet traffic, it is the way to go.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I agree... WiFi is right after A/C in my mind. If we want to attract millennials and zennials you gotta give them WiFi.

I hope the upgrade with A/C will allow the Dome to be used in the summer for 1 or 2 mega concerts every year.

I think the amphitheater is a better summer location for concerts. Weather is the only concern if you don’t get under the roof, but AC in the “Stadium” presents another viable option.

 

[Bayside44]

True but if they are going to go to a cashless stadium (Hard Rock Stadium announced this yesterday) and people can put money on an app, spend money from an app, or use Apple Pay or Samsung Pay on their phones at the concession stand, they need to have working WiFi at all times or else those lines are gonna be a cluster at games in "normal years".

Part of the reno plan is wifi because kids like to share stuff in real time, etc.

 

[dooey139]

I think the amphitheater is a better summer location for concerts. Weather is the only concern if you don’t get under the roof, but AC in the “Stadium” presents another viable option.

I agree, he's talking BIG concerts that wouldn't go to the amphitheater though. The football stadium shows like Garth Brooks, Rolling Stones, etc.

 

[Bayside44]

I agree, he's talking BIG concerts that wouldn't go to the amphitheater though. The football stadium shows like Garth Brooks, Rolling Stones, etc.

You can forget a lot of that, the stage sets for those shows won't fit.

 

[orangedave]

You can forget a lot of that, the stage sets for those shows won't fit.

Is the reno going to shrink the field? I've seen the Rolling Stones there along with several other big acts. Most recent one I recall was Sir Paul with a very large attendance.

 

[Bayside44]

Is the reno going to shrink the field? I've seen the Rolling Stones there along with several other big acts. Most recent one I recall was Sir Paul with a very large attendance.

Rolling Stones played there in 1989. U2 couldn’t fit the Zoo TV setup in there or the other outdoor ones. Taylor Swift, Coldplay are massive. Guys like Springsteen who just play can work.

 

[syracuse95]

I don't think WiFi is going to be huge issue. At least not for the things SU is rolling out now.

According to SU's mobile ticketing FAQ, you have the option to download the ticket to your Apple Wallet. A screenshot of the ticket will also scan at the gate. So as long as the ticket gets downloaded to the wallet (or screenshot taken) before arriving at the dome, you'd never need to connect to the WiFi or cellular data to access the ticket. It may be a fiasco for a few games until people realize they need to download the ticket ahead of time, but from my experience with airline tickets, Apple Wallet is pretty bulletproof.

As far as cashless concessions, Apple Pay doesn't use WiFi or cellular data. It's all NFC, so it will work even without any data connection at all.

Unfortunately, unless they upgrade the WiFi, it will still take 5 minutes to download out of town scores from the ESPN app.

 

[OrangeAl]

I don't think WiFi is going to be huge issue. At least not for the things SU is rolling out now.

According to SU's mobile ticketing FAQ, you have the option to download the ticket to your Apple Wallet. A screenshot of the ticket will also scan at the gate. So as long as the ticket gets downloaded to the wallet (or screenshot taken) before arriving at the dome, you'd never need to connect to the WiFi or cellular data to access the ticket. It may be a fiasco for a few games until people realize they need to download the ticket ahead of time, but from my experience with airline tickets, Apple Wallet is pretty bulletproof.

As far as cashless concessions, Apple Pay doesn't use WiFi or cellular data. It's all NFC, so it will work even without any data connection at all.

Unfortunately, unless they upgrade the WiFi, it will still take 5 minutes to download out of town scores from the ESPN app.

Does this mean Android users need not apply?

 

[upperdeck]

I still think its just more of an assumption that everyone wants to bring their phones to games. if the out of town scores worked i wouldnt bring my phone at all and now i need to. Plus while i often attend games with family we dont all enter together and its easy to get out of a car and hand tickets out.. now I have to log back in to a bad app and send tickets around to people , its a hassle.
and not only that everyone will need to bring a phone to get in.

the reality is that there is some issue with tickets being stolen or scalped multiple times you can solve that as well , i doubt we had thousands of tickets being duped a game.

 

[cuse10]

Wifi is something everyone who has a mobile device can use. Given that SU already has a giant pipe for Internet traffic, it is the way to go.

The WiFi is sorely lacking around the Dome. I was last there for the Clemson game and had to burn through mobile data to get a worthwhile connection. If SU is going full mobile, they have to expedite their investment in WiFi to support this task.

 

[OttoMets]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like a strange decision.

For a century, you need one thing to go to an SU game: money.

Now the athletic department had added another requirement for potential customers.

I just can't really get my head around that. Most businesses fall over themselves trying to reduce obstacles for customers to hand over their money; nothing similar to this comes to mind (I can't imagine a restaurant or an airline saying "we'd love to serve you, but only if you purchase this tech toy first").

For the 90% of fans or whatever whose lives revolve around their smartphones and have for a decade now, this isn't something you'd think twice about, and any complaint about this probably sounds funny to you. But it's really a significant change, and it creates a barrier for those of us who are Luddites and now apparently don't have the means to continue going to games. I think I'm equal parts a) disappointed by the prospect that my season ticket holding might have come to an end, b) put off by SU's predictable lack of outreach, and c) amazed that any business would make it more difficult for a long-time customer to patronize them (especially when it's so easy to maintain the status quo).

 

[sutomcat]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like a strange decision.

For a century, you need one thing to go to an SU game: money.

Now the athletic department had added another requirement for potential customers.

I just can't really get my head around that. Most businesses fall over themselves trying to reduce obstacles for customers to hand over their money; nothing similar to this comes to mind (I can't imagine a restaurant or an airline saying "we'd love to serve you, but only if you purchase this tech toy first").

For the 90% of fans or whatever whose lives revolve around their smartphones and have for a decade now, this isn't something you'd think twice about, and any complaint about this probably sounds funny to you. But it's really a significant change, and it creates a barrier for those of us who are Luddites and now apparently don't have the means to continue going to games. I think I'm equal parts a) disappointed by the prospect that my season ticket holding might have come to an end, b) put off by SU's predictable lack of outreach, and c) amazed that any business would make it more difficult for a long-time customer to patronize them (especially when it's so easy to maintain the status quo).

I hear you on this. I believe if you don’t want to bring your phone to the game, or are concerned it will die before you get through the gates, you will have the option of printing a hard copy ticket at your home (or a public library, etc.), and bringing that. I don’t know the percentage of people who buy tickets to games, are not willing or able to bring a smart phone to the games and do not have the ability or knowledge to print a hard copy ticket. I believe they will have the ability to send their tickets to a friend or family member as well, who can print it for them or use their phone to get them in.

This is inevitable. Hard bcopy tickets are going to go away. Just like receipts, hard copy pay checks, paper bags, paper money, newspapers and magazines. COVID accelerated the time line significantly.

I have some love for the old ways and as already mentioned, have some pangs of regret as this paper we used to use in some many ways goes away. I am comforted knowing getting rid of paper makes things more efficient, wastes less resources and saves money.

 

[SUOrange44]

I hear you on this. I believe if you don’t want to bring your phone to the game, or are concerned it will die before you get through the gates, you will have the option of printing a hard copy ticket at your home (or a public library, etc.), and bringing that. I don’t know the percentage of people who buy tickets to games, are not willing or able to bring a smart phone to the games and do not have the ability or knowledge to print a hard copy ticket. I believe they will have the ability to send their tickets to a friend or family member as well, who can print it for them or use their phone to get them in.

This is inevitable. Hard bcopy tickets are going to go away. Just like receipts, hard copy pay checks, paper bags, paper money, newspapers and magazines. COVID accelerated the time line significantly.

I have some love for the old ways and as already mentioned, have some pangs of regret as this paper we used to use in some many ways goes away. I am comforted knowing getting rid of paper makes things more efficient, wastes less resources and saves money.

I do not believe this is accurate. If you go to the hyperlink in SU’s release, one of the FAQ’s specifically says Can I print my ticket at home? The response is “Unfortunately no” and that only mobile tickets are being accepted this year. I read that as being actually on a mobile device though it says you can use a screen shot.
SUOrange44

 

[upperdeck]

To me they should offer us the option as a STH.. If want printed tickets thats fine, add a fee if they want.. They all are QR coded anyway.. If you want to leave the ticket and use the phone go ahead, whichever you show up with will work.. That doesnt mean you cant remove the ability to print a ticket on paper just dont accept/scan it at the door.. That allows you to sell/scalp outside but you paid a premium for that..

this isnt rocket science, just dont allow paper tickets..

going all in on mobile is dumb.. they tried to fix a small problem that really wasnt a problem and added new ones for no reason.

 

[Chris02M]

I do not believe this is accurate. If you go to the hyperlink in SU’s release, one of the FAQ’s specifically says Can I print my ticket at home? The response is “Unfortunately no” and that only mobile tickets are being accepted this year. I read that as being actually on a mobile device though it says you can use a screen shot.
SUOrange44

im guessing as work around people without phones can have there tickets printed at box office and picked up there or will call on day of game?

 

[SUOrange44]

im guessing as work around people without phones can have there tickets printed at box office and picked up there or will call on day of game?

That is my guess. Candidly, I think that SU is also trying to do whatever they can to remove the scalping element from campus And the “close-knit” interactions that take place as it stands.

I would imagine they are concerned enough about people from all over coming to the heart of campus during a pandemic (and by no means am I saying there will be a season particularly with fans) and are trying to minimize added people/activity on campus they may not want to monitor.

As I noted in another thread, I would not be shocked if there are more delays at the gate due to the problems scanning the mobile tickets on phones for a variety of reasons...screen brightness, residue, user error, error. Hope I am wrong but it will take some time for folks to get used to it. In the mean time, you obviously do not want log jams and i assume they will set it up so they Only allow a certain amount into security. Once you pass that, only a few into the gate area, etc.

One positive of the new roof would seem to be the opportunity to leave doors open but I would imagine the revolving doors will stay.

SUOrange44

PS As others have noted the WiFi/data access in certain areas is definitely a concerns as it stands...people will need to make sure action is take before getting to the gate. I believe that is a tip provided by NFL stadiums like US Bank.


Mobile Ticketing Link

 

[Cusefan69]

I wonder if going digital was just a cost savings thing? Maybe it's just getting with the times. I had a CIO I was working with once who said I never want to be the first but I won't be the last. Digital ticketing has been around for a while now, maybe a number of considerations resulted in them just pulling the trigger. Is it really that big of a deal? In the grand scheme this doesn't bother me as a fan.

 

[Chris02M]

I wonder if going digital was just a cost savings thing? Maybe it's just getting with the times. I had a CIO I was working with once who said I never want to be the first but I won't be the last. Digital ticketing has been around for a while now, maybe a number of considerations resulted in them just pulling the trigger. Is it really that big of a deal? In the grand scheme this doesn't bother me as a fan.

they started with allowing it last year so if its a cost saving move it was pre covid, i think its more the scalping aspect they want to get rid of

 

[Bayside44]

they started with allowing it last year so if its a cost saving move it was pre covid, i think its more the scalping aspect they want to get rid of

Is scalping really an issue? Seems like plenty of seats and good prices.

MLB has it where every season ticket holder has to download their app (and frankly people that the ticket holder electronically shares tickets with) so they've created this whole universe of direct contact relationships.

 

[Chris02M]

Is scalping really an issue? Seems like plenty of seats and good prices.

MLB has it where every season ticket holder has to download their app (and frankly people that the ticket holder electronically shares tickets with) so they've created this whole universe of direct contact relationships.

i think it was in 2018 , last year not so much as scalpers were farther from campus

 

[maxxyz]

they started with allowing it last year so if its a cost saving move it was pre covid, i think its more the scalping aspect they want to get rid of

Most ticketing services allow people (including scalpers) to digitally transfer tickets to another party. So someone outside the Dome/Arena could transfer tickets to a persons phone rather than hand them tickets.

I'm guessing they are trying to eliminate a Will Call line at the box office. Less people overall standing in line.

Ticket scanning on phones has improved tremendously in the last few years. I would see the biggest pushback from people who only like hard tickets. People still like to pay to have their tickets mailed to them.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Will they have digital parking too? I know they haven’t determined any parking yet.

 

[upperdeck]

our golf course went all digital.. it oftens takes 3-4-5 tries to get a scan to work and this is with all new equipment.

 

[Stern]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like a strange decision.

For a century, you need one thing to go to an SU game: money.

Now the athletic department had added another requirement for potential customers.

I just can't really get my head around that. Most businesses fall over themselves trying to reduce obstacles for customers to hand over their money; nothing similar to this comes to mind (I can't imagine a restaurant or an airline saying "we'd love to serve you, but only if you purchase this tech toy first").

For the 90% of fans or whatever whose lives revolve around their smartphones and have for a decade now, this isn't something you'd think twice about, and any complaint about this probably sounds funny to you. But it's really a significant change, and it creates a barrier for those of us who are Luddites and now apparently don't have the means to continue going to games. I think I'm equal parts a) disappointed by the prospect that my season ticket holding might have come to an end, b) put off by SU's predictable lack of outreach, and c) amazed that any business would make it more difficult for a long-time customer to patronize them (especially when it's so easy to maintain the status quo).

2 things...

1) The removal of paper tickets was going to happen eventually. The world is/was headed this way, COVID just moved the process along quicker but we were gonna be at this point within the next 5 years for sure. Hard Rock Stadium just announced wireless entry to all games last week. This isn't "just a Syracuse thing"...all stadiums in a Post-COVID world are moving to this.

2) I know this is an "age" thing and a "generaltional" thing, but most people between 18-45 don't pay for much with cash. (Yes I know there are exceptions to this) but overall in general most people use debit cards, a credit card where they can rack up points to use elsewhere, or Apple Pay/Samsung Pay or something along those lines to make all of their purchases. Heck for Starbucks I haven't handed them a card or cash in about 4 years. I just load money onto my Starbucks App, when it's time to pay I hold up my phone they scan it and that's it.

See in your opinion you think the business (SU) is making things more difficult. For many folks, for the majority of folks, they really are making it easier. Cause they are carrying a phone anyway and now they can load their season tickets (and their money in some cases) on the phone and just use that phone for everything. No need to carry paper tickets and no need to carry anything more than a driver's license or debit card with your phone to an SU game.