Payments in the Arena: Integrated Experiences Are the Winning Play

Identity will constitute the future of experiences at stadiums, ballparks, and other performance venues, giving fans a seamless journey from entry to team stores to concessions to where they sit. Although snippets of this future can be seen in many U.S. venues, what’s missing is integration that carries the experience across teams and venues. This Javelin Strategy & Research report takes a look at what’s now and what’s to come, with a focus on progress toward this seamless future of payments and fan experiences. Wherever the games and performances occur, the winning play is identity—specifically, a reusable identity that offers a credential that travels with consumers from team to team, from venue to venue.

The “Payments in the Arena” series highlights the unique environments of performance and sports venues and the development of payments, loyalty, and technology in live entertainment. Arena environments—with their closed networks, utilization of mobile apps, and engaged customer bases—create a compelling opportunity for innovators in payments. 

This report is paired with a focus on how the move to cashless environment can propel prepaid payment to be the leading connective payment method within performance venues. 

Payments in the Arena: Prepaid Can Move Into the Starting Lineup as Cash Gets Cut