Stadium partners with Apple and Fortress GB to launch innovative contactless mobile ticketing platform - the first in European professional sports.

Wembley Stadium has always been a stadium that’s ahead of the curve when it comes to delivering the best in fan experience and technology. The latest example of this came earlier this year when Wembley became the first venue in Europe to introduce contactless mobile ticketing.

This new service is a direct result of joint development between Apple and Fortress GB, the leader in stadium access and fan engagement technology. Using their Apple Wallet, fans can now experience a seamless and secure entry into the venue. Instead of fumbling with paper tickets, barcodes, and emails, fans can access simply by tapping their iPhone and breezing through to their seats.

“We’re delighted that Wembley Stadium is one of the first global venues to work alongside Fortress GB and Apple to bring this technology to fans, and we are committed to providing this technology across our ticketing platform for all events in 2018, onwards,” said Paul Smyth, head of ticketing at The FA.

“The innovation strengthens our aspiration to be the digital leader in supporter entry, establishing greater one-to-one contact with the consumer and making it easier and safer for all.”

Working closely with Fortress, the team at Wembley understood the role technology plays in creating a fully integrated fan experience. Fan engagement doesn’t begin when fans enter the venue; it begins the moment they purchase their ticket, and it’s vital to have the correct pieces in place to generate easy, fast and seamless transactions.

The new technology was successfully tested earlier this year and officially launched in March when England faced football rival Italy. Already this change is leading to an improved fan experience. Fans can enjoy more of the match instead of waiting in lines.

They can take comfort knowing that their ticket is valid instead of worrying if they’ve purchased a counterfeit ticket on the secondary market. Contactless ticketing significantly decreases the chances that fans can lose, misplace, or forget their tickets.

“This was truly a first-of-its-kind project,” said Dor Vago, senior product manager for Fortress GB. “Each of our clients face unique challenges and we specialise in providing creative and innovative solutions tailored to their needs and the needs of their fans.

“Wembley was the perfect venue to debut this innovative technology because not only is it an iconic venue, but it’s one that is incredibly cutting-edge. We couldn’t be more excited to work with an iconic brand like Apple to make this platform possible.”

A mobile integrated fan experience is the new lifeblood of professional sports and is critical to build and maintain capital with fans. The New York Jets, recently named as the Most Innovative Team by SportTechie, understand that connecting various innovations to create a cohesive and seamless experience is essential to building a strong, enduring, interactive brand.

Working with Fortress GB, the team was one of the earliest adopters of contactless mobile ticketing in American professional sports. The trend continues in the American market with several of Fortress’s Major League Baseball clients launching the platform.

Contactless mobile ticketing is just the entry point for this technology and the implications are endless. Apple Wallet will enable fans to have more personalised, rewarding experiences as teams and venues will be able to easily enroll all fans as members and directly interact with them.

Paired with the Fortress loyalty module, teams are able to create personalised member passes, designed to cater to each of their fan bases and send individualised notifications according to date, time and location.

Future enhancements such as stored value, meaningful engagement, and sponsorship opportunities will enable teams to develop deeper bonds with their fans.  

About Fortress GB

Since 2003, Fortress has been first to the field with some of the leading innovations in sports technology – digital ticketing, automated venue access, digital applications for loyalty, rewards, stored value (payments), and customer scoring and analytics.

Today, the Fortress application platform powers the match day and engagement activities of more than 130 sports teams around the globe. With clients representing major national sports leagues (MLB, NHL, NFL, MLS, in addition to 90% of EPL), teams trust Fortress to deliver best-in-class technology and service.

Fortress helps teams transform their game day experience, deliver value across their wider customer base, and use focused intelligence to drive valuable engagement and participation.

For more information, visit fortressgb.com, or follow on Twitter @FortressGB