In an increasingly digitized world, creating a robust digital identity becomes the key to many interactions and transactions in the sports and events industry. From accessing stadiums, apps, and VIP areas to purchasing tickets, products, or experiences, the fan’s identity is positioned as the central axis of a complete and secure experience in both digital and physical environments.
A 360-Degree Offer for Fan Identity
A unified digital identity should not only allow the verification of who the user is but also facilitate their access to experiences and services using that same identity. Integrating advanced identity verification (IDV) solutions and subsequent biometric authentication ensures security and fluidity at every touchpoint. What good is an identity verification registration for customers if we don’t allow them to access experiences or services with that same identity? Why do we “force” our employees to verify identities in a world where it is already impossible to distinguish the real from the deepfake?
Advanced technologies enable identity verification in less than 5 seconds with a conversion rate of 99%, ensuring that the user experience is not compromised by long waits or complex processes.
Use Cases in the Sports and Events Industry
As fans increasingly demand personalized and frictionless interactions, organizations must adopt innovative solutions to verify identities and deliver these personalized experiences securely, privately, and efficiently. Moreover, this same need allows clubs or franchises to create new channels for selling products or experiences with maximum security.
- Secure knowledge of fan identity: Digitalization of the member and follower database.
- Fraud-free ticket purchase: Prevention of ticket resale and counterfeiting at massive events like World Cups, European Championships, Olympics, and league matches.
- Self-payment for food and beverages: No need for physical contact.
- Loyalty and rewards programs: Accessible only to those who have subscribed to this service.
- Telephone purchases: Verification of the member’s identity in calls for purchases or changes to sensitive information.
- Purchases through apps, WhatsApp, or chatbots: Online registration of new customers/fans through digital channels.
- Safe and efficient access to stadiums, VIP areas, etc.: Eliminating the need for physical credentials.
- Personal and supplier accreditation: Facilitating controlled access.
- Creation and exploitation of a digital community for VIP experiences.
Combating Ticket Sales Fraud
The sale of fake tickets and the resale of fraudulent or “anonymous” tickets represent a significant challenge, especially at large-scale events. The lack of control over the buyer’s identity facilitates the emergence of illegal secondary markets. However, thanks to automated identity verification technologies that register the user in less than 5 seconds, ensuring authenticity and preventing fraud, clubs and ticketing platforms can now offer a secure and frictionless experience for ticket or subscription transfer.
Advanced fraud prevention and detection also protect against injections, document fraud, and deepfakes, ensuring that only legitimate fans can access the event, content, or experience. Finally, clubs can create and control the secondary ticket market, gaining full knowledge of the movement of tickets for their matches or events and achieving greater economic benefits from it.
Fraud-Free, Revenue-Generating Fan Communities
International sports clubs and franchises have hundreds of millions of anonymous fans worldwide, but an anonymous fan does not generate revenue. The key to unlocking the economic potential of these communities lies in transforming these anonymous followers into verified identities. This allows teams and leagues to manage their fan relationships more effectively, placing them at the center of business growth.
The first step in offering high-quality exclusive experiences, discounts, or products is verifying the fan’s identity. This ensures that only legitimate fans can benefit from these offers, eliminating the risk of someone else using them without paying for them.
This anonymity prevents personalized communication during matches and limits revenue opportunities. By adopting solutions such as facial authentication, clubs can accurately identify attendees, personalize their experience, and simultaneously ensure high-security standards.
Hands-Free Experience: The Access Revolution in Sports Events
In constantly pursuing improving the fan experience and optimizing the operation of mass events, the Hands-Free Experience has become an aspirational standard for the sports and events industry. This experience, which eliminates the need for any type of physical credential, combines facial authentication with payment and digital access technologies, offering attendees a comprehensive and frictionless solution.
Advantages of the Hands-Free Experience
- Contactless Access: Facial authentication allows fans to enter stadiums and VIP areas without showing a physical ticket or card. Simply with their face, fans can quickly and securely access the area, reducing wait times and eliminating crowds at control points.
- Simplified Payments: The integration of facial authentication with payment systems allows fans to purchase food, beverages, and merchandise without the need to use cash, cards, or mobile phones. This speeds up transactions and enhances security and hygiene, especially in a high-traffic environment.
- Personalized Experience: Thanks to digital identity solutions and biometric authentication, clubs and organizers can offer personalized experiences during the event. From the welcome to exclusive promotions, everything can be tailored in real-time to the fan’s profile, creating a deeper connection between the fan and the club.
- Reduction of Physical Tickets: By eliminating the need for printed tickets and cards, the Hands-Free Experience contributes to sustainability, aligning with the eco-friendly initiatives that many clubs and events are adopting. This reduction in the use of physical materials also simplifies logistics and lowers operational costs.
The Digital Identity Revolution in Sports
Introducing technologies like the Digital Wallet represents a radical change in the sports industry. By providing fans with a sovereign and secure identity in both digital and physical worlds, trust between fans and clubs is strengthened while protecting their data. These advanced technologies significantly reduce fraud, improve operational efficiency, and offer a frictionless experience, especially in high-traffic environments like sports stadiums.
