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Stadium Tech Report

November 23rd, 2024

Paul Kapustka

Feature

Denver Concessions, Part 1: Facing a new way to Zippin

Zippin, a San Francisco-based startup which is leading the sports stadium market for checkout-free concession stands, is now embracing another new technology - facial authentication systems for age and payment verification - to speed transactions up even more. “This is the holy grail for us,” said Alicia Woznicki, vice president of design and development at Aramark Sports + Entertainment, about...

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Feature

Denver Concessions, Part 2: Mashgin scanners provide flexibility and checkout speed

Even before Zippin, fans at Empower Field at Mile High got introduced to new concessions technology several years ago when a curious machine appeared at the checkout area of some stands. Instead of a staffer behind a terminal, the new devices were a platform surrounded by metal bands above and on the platform’s sides. What fans were instructed to do...

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Feature

Denver Concessions, Part 3: The rise of the self-checkout kiosk

If there is a newer concessions technology that is fairly obvious in the how-to of its use, it’s the big-screen kiosk. Popular at quick-service restaurants in many places, self-order kiosks have been gradually growing in use at stadium concession stands, including Empower Field at Mile High, where the technology has been in use for several years in a few different...

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Feature

Denver Concessions, Part 4: When design and process are as important as technology

The one thing that’s often not mentioned when discussing stadium concession technology is that the physical layout and functionality of the stands themselves can sometimes do as much to improve fan and business experiences than any technology. Starting just before the pandemic hit, Empower Field at Mile High and other venues began experimenting with concession stands that looked much different...

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Editorial

When you deploy technology, don’t forget the people

With the recent explosion of stadiums deploying new technology in just about every phase of venue operations, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that technology alone can help solve multiple game-day pain points. But one thing struck me as I visited several stadiums this year, watching closely how fans interact with new technology: Without trained staff to...

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