Applying Biometric Technology to Improve the Stadium Experience

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Identity Week in Washington, D.C., and speak on a panel about how biometric technology is revolutionizing the game day experience for fans.

Suzanne Marie Smalley from The Record from Recorded Future News moderated the panel, starting with a one-on-one discussion with Brandon Covert , the Vice President of Information Technology for the Cleveland Browns . In their discussion, Brandon talked about the Browns' initial test with biometric technology as a way to speed up stadium ingress. What started as a pilot with about 15 fans in 2020 has steadily grown over the years, with more than 6,000 fans enrolled by the end of the first year and now nearly 40,000 fans enrolled.

Brandon also talked about expanding biometric technology use cases and how they now use facial authentication around the stadium for everything from fan ticketing to buying a beer to accessing clubs to credentialed access to the locker rooms and playing field to employee access to office space. For the Browns, your face is your identity, and the use of Wicket facial authentication technology has streamlined operations and experiences for everyone around Huntington Bank Field.

I then joined the conversation on stage along with Christian Lau , the CTO of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) . I shared more about Wicket's origin and growth over the years, highlighting the fact that we've had more than 1.5 million facial authentication entrances across more than 40 event venues.

Christian described their history with biometric technology and the tests they've run with multiple vendors at BMO Stadium , leading them to conclude that Wicket is the best fit for their vision for the future of fan experience. Christian shared how receptive the LAFC fan base is to using technology to improve their experience, supporting their strategy of aggressively expanding facial authentication throughout the stadium, starting with concessions and ticketing.

Given the nature of the conference, there were some pointed questions about data privacy and security, but Brandon made it clear that all of the biometric data is kept secure and not shared with third parties, something I reiterated as core to Wicket's overall data privacy practices . Brandon also pointed out that while fans can opt-out at any time, the opt-out rate has been "ridiculously low" as fans generally love the convenience - something Christian reiterated based on his experience testing Wicket at BMO Stadium.

Walking around the show floor - and speaking with Joel R. McConvey from Biometric Update - what became clear to me is that while there are a lot of biometric technologies out there, what is really setting Wicket apart is our singular focus on providing a solution to specific problems in the sports and live events space. Our commitment to "Enabling a Sensational Event Experience." Joel covered this in an excellent article summarizing the session and event.

The overall vibe at the event was very positive, and I think there is a lot of optimism about the future of biometrics - especially when it is used to "revolutionize" everyday experiences, like going to cheer for your favorite team!

#fanexperience #identityweekamerica #facialauthentication #biometrics