NBA basketball franchise the Minnesota Timberwolves has ramped up its partnership with point-of-sale solutions provider VenueNext by announcing that its Target Center arena will offer an entirely contactless fan experience.
The venture will leverage VenueNext’s mobile commerce platform, with the two parties having initially joined forces in June 2017 to launch the team’s new mobile app. The mobile-only fan experience through the Timberwolves app will now include all tangible fan touchpoints, from buying and storing tickets to scanning and paying for food and beverage and merchandise.
Timberwolves chief operating officer, Ryan Tanke, said: “When we introduced mobile ticketing in 2015, we believed a completely mobile experience would be the future. Timberwolves fans are early adopters and mobile ticketing naturally led us down the mobile-only path for concessions.
“This put us in a position to quickly transition to a fully mobile experience as we welcome fans back to games. The Timberwolves app provides a safe and navigable experience inside Target Center and eliminates waiting in lines and cash exchange. Fans are encouraged to order in the app from their seat and never have to miss a moment of game action.”
The Timberwolves will welcome back season ticket members and limited fans to Target Center for the April 5 game versus the Sacramento Kings. When back in Target Center, fans can pay for items by using their stored credit card in the mobile app or by using Court Cash, a loyalty currency for season ticket members.
The Timberwolves said its partnership with VenueNext also allows for flexibility to add new self-service kiosks that accept mobile payment, while it will reintroduce mobile ordering for in-seat delivery once safety protocols allow. All tickets will be digitally delivered to fans via the Timberwolves app. A new, limited concessions menu will also be available to fans via the app.
“Recognising the new fan experience reality, together, we’ve created a complete mobile environment,” said Anthony Perez, VenueNext CEO. “The integration of VenueNext’s mobile commerce platform within the Timberwolves app means that fans can now control their entire in-venue shopping experience from their phones.
“As leading innovators in this space, the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to create ways to make the live experience as seamless as possible and we’re excited to bring that to life for Timberwolves fans.”
Earlier this month, VenueNext was acquired by payment processing solutions provider Shift4 Payments.
Image: Runner1928/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size
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