DIGITAL TICKETING COMING TO CANES/PNC

Got an email this afternoon from Canes ticketing that they're going to "experiment" with digital. They're looking for volunteers to test the system out. Warren, here's your chance... and another chance to explain why digital would be ideal for splitting tickets. I can't wait...

Not on the website yet for a link so here's the body of the email:

Dear Allen,

Based on feedback from fans, we're seeking volunteers interested in a pilot program of a new digital ticketing platform. As opposed to receiving a book of tickets, through this option, your STH ID card(s) will contain all of your ticket data. This creates a convenient option to help you manage your tickets.

Through this opportunity, your Hurricanes STH ID card(s) will be swiped by a PNC Arena gate attendant upon entry. After each STH ID card with an active ticket for the game is swiped, a seat locator pass will be printed for use within the arena.

Digital ticketing ensures that fans can't grab the wrong game tickets by mistake or hand over the wrong tickets to friends, family or customers. Fans who participate in digital ticketing will continue to be able to take advantage of fast, convenient online ticket forwarding, with no forwarding fees.

This special pilot program will be available for a limited number of Season Ticket Holders for the 2014-15 season. Complete this short form by 5:00 pm ET Thursday, July 24 to express your interest in participating. If your account is selected for this special pilot program, you will receive an email soon with additional information.

I don't consider any plan that involves an ID card "real" digital ticketing. Why they don't go to a smartphone-based approach is beyond me; the airline industry--among others--has proved that to be successful for years now. Notice how few people use cards at Starbuck's anymore...the vast majority swipe their smartphone to pay for their drinks. When I take my kids to the Beck show at Red Hat Amphitheater on Wednesday night, I'll be swiping my smartphone to get in.

At least they're not forcing it upon STHs (for now) and going with an experimental approach.

Or they could take a cue from Disney and go with RFID wrist bands to replace the cards. I was at Disney World this spring and what Disney calls Magic Bands are pretty awesome. They store your credit card info, have all your ticket and reservations stored and even function as your room key.

jeffbear said:

Or they could take a cue from Disney and go with RFID wrist bands to replace the cards. I was at Disney World this spring and what Disney calls Magic Bands are pretty awesome. They store your credit card info, have all your ticket and reservations stored and even function as your room key.

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The Lightning wen that route with a RFID chip embedded in a STH only jersey. IIRC, it was for food and beverage and store discounts but there is no reason why it couldn't be expanded to include admission. However, with RFID technology, they still need to generate a seat locator upon entrance to prevent seat poachers, something Disney doesn't need to worry about. With a smartphone, the assigned seats could be embedded in the application and displayed on the screen. However, in case of an exchange, they'd still have to get that to the new user of the seats.

When I went to Disney World after Thanksgiving, they were still testing the Magic Bands. The system was still buggy and dumped 2 of my Fast Pass reservations. Fortunately, I took a picture of the screen when I made the reservation and showed that to the ticket taker when my band was rejected. They were still dubious, but I was not waiting in a 2 hour line for Soarin'.

We just got back from Orlando, and the Magic Bands seemed really popular, especially at Magic Kingdom with so many little princesses running around... We didn't get them because we were staying and spending more time at Universal (the new Diagon Alley is incredible BTW), so some of the benefit of using the bands would have been lost on us. They're of course an "extra revenue item", $12.95 if I remember. In addition to the wristbands at Disney, both sets of parks scan all your ticket and package information from barcoded credit-card sized tickets that fit nicely in lanyard holders, so it was still a pretty convenient use of technology. That, combined with the Android apps they both have with maps and wait times, made navigating the parks pretty easy (although I still love to pull out their paper park maps for an overall view)

Our room key at Portofino Bay could also be used to charge to the account all over their parks to the extent you didn't really need to bring any cash or personal plastic to the Universal parks, but it was still using magnetic stripe readers, so it had to be removed from the lanyard each time. I assume Disney is doing the same or better.

I still don't like the idea of digital ticketing for the Canes unless they can make it seamless for us seat-sharers.

StormChaserBH said:

We just got back from Orlando, and the Magic Bands seemed really popular, especially at Magic Kingdom with so many little princesses running around... We didn't get them because we were staying and spending more time at Universal (the new Diagon Alley is incredible BTW), so some of the benefit of using the bands would have been lost on us. They're of course an "extra revenue item", $12.95 if I remember.

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The Disney Magic Bands are included for no additional cost if you stay at one of their properties. Just for the record. Glad to know you enjoyed the new Potter stuff. Hoping to get the wife down there sometime in the winter.

Yes, the Magic Bands are cool, but it is just another version of a card. Everything in tech is moving towards being on the device the vast majority of the population doesn't go anywhere without--their smartphone. Wearable tech--which is essentially what the Magic Band is--is the other big trend, but it is increasingly being developed for working with your smartphone (i.e., the Pebble watch, the forthcoming iWatch, etc.) or for situations (i.e., working out) where not everyone wants to use their smartphone.

Yup ... Disney's newest tech does integrate the RFID band with their phone app and website. It's all tied together. Problem being, it doesn't always work ... for the usual phone app, internet connectivity, general loss of data transmission reasons.

Baby steps ... for this franchise in particular ... are to be applauded.

Personally I don't like everything tied to my iPhone because I don't take it everywhere, for example dinner, theater, movie, people's homes, sporting events, etc. RFID scars me as RFID readers are fairly common. The fear might be misplaced as they may have some type of single use challenge. I haven't kept up with the technology.

dwind said:

Personally I don't like everything tied to my iPhone because I don't take it everywhere, for example dinner, theater, movie, people's homes, sporting events, etc. RFID scars me as RFID readers are fairly common. The fear might be misplaced as they may have some type of single use challenge. I haven't kept up with the technology.

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I'm not sure about the concerns for RFID technology. The most common type used for commercial purposes is a passive reader setup, so the scan points simply read data off of the chip and only on a very local basis. Privacy concerns have been expressed regarding active readers that allow the system to track your movements in minute detail. I get that, but used properly it's pretty slick consumer tech.

The reader I was referring to is one that an id thief keeps in his socket and continuos scans or 'listens' for RFID.
If it's a passive system the reader can detect and copy the data, then a new card built.

dwind said:

Personally I don't like everything tied to my iPhone because I don't take it everywhere, for example dinner, theater, movie, people's homes, sporting events, etc.

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Dennis, as with many things in life, you are the exception and not the rule!

The vast majority of the populace doesn't have a smart phone and most of those who do wouldn't know how to use the technology or could care less. I suspect Windy & I are more the rule to your exception. I don't even like my smartphone - which really is a dumbass. The volume buttons are just right for turning the ringer down or even off and the new s'ware update has made it so sensitive that I have to be careful on a call, because it's so sensitive now, my ear tries to dial and beeps - why in hell is the dialpad up on a call anyway. What brilliant-ass engineer decided that was a good idea?

I almost never access emails or any data on the thing. I have 3 laptops, a netbook and a tablet for that, even a couple that access Verizon 4G signals so it doesn't even have to be wi-fi. Yeah, I can but I just don't care to. I'd say the majority of us over 50, certainly over 60, don't want use it for anything but voice calls. Texting is a last resort for me - it's more P-I-A than it's worth. Can you imagine Disney having to have classes to teach folks to access what they've paid for? I.e., North Hills added an app for accessing the parking lot across the street or paying a parking fee. I'll just be damned if I'm going add a bunch of crappy apps to my phone to park or do much of anything else. I do use it for restaurant coupons and a few other things - but by MY choice.

I can understand those who like using s'phones for all kinds of things but ease off on the piety of saying everybody has and wants to jump into anything new. Hell, I'd rather have my old flip-phone back.

I've got an iPhone, have had one since?? And have unlimited data on it and one of my 4 iPads.
I use iPads about 99% of the time and am thinking of setting up some kind of house cloud.
I do not like carrying an iPhone around, they are rude and insulting in someone else's house, a restaurant, movies, sporting events, etc. They are too big for a pocket, a holster is blah, and I don't want to hold it in my hand.
I do a lot of texting as that's all my kids do. I hesitate to see what my young grandkids will be doing with technology.

*AH* said:

The vast majority of the populace doesn't have a smart phone and most of those who do wouldn't know how to use the technology or could care less.

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Actually, Allen, smartphone penetration passed the 50% mark of the US adult population in the past year.

dwind said:

The reader I was referring to is one that an id thief keeps in his socket and continuos scans or 'listens' for RFID.
If it's a passive system the reader can detect and copy the data, then a new card built.

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Yup ... that happens, which is why they encript the data. Of course, nothing is perfect and stuff happens. Stuff also happens with any transfer of information ... magentic strips on cards, those smart phone readers, you name it.

*AH* said:

Hell, I'd rather have my old flip-phone back.

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Still have mine. Hardly ever turn it on. Have it just for an emergency.

HeyKurtz said:

Actually, Allen, smartphone penetration passed the 50% mark of the US adult population in the past year.

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I expect that's accurate but I'd bet most...

of those who do wouldn't know how to use the technology or could care less.

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I could learn to use most all the features and maybe even come to almost like it but there's too much in my life to want to really get into it. I understand the technology - it's the details that don't particularily interest me.

jeffbear said:

Yup ... that happens, which is why they encript the data. Of course, nothing is perfect and stuff happens. Stuff also happens with any transfer of information ... magentic strips on cards, those smart phone readers, you name it.

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Except encryption has to be single use. Which means the reader has to be connected to a network or something that can do the challenge. Straight encryption is useless on an RFID device.

Is it true that if they scan your cell phone, they steal your soul?