Payment services company Square has signed a 10-year deal to become the exclusive point-of-sale payments, software and merchant services provider for SoFi Stadium, home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
The first-of-its-kind partnership also includes the wider Hollywood Park mixed-use development being built by Rams owner and chairman Stan Kroenke. The 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium opened last year and anchors the wide-ranging Hollywood Park site.
Square will work with SoFi Stadium and premium experiences company Legends to enhance the venue’s fan experience and commerce capabilities as the 2021 NFL season begins with capacity crowds. Yesterday (Sunday) saw the Rams welcome a full crowd for a regular-season game at SoFi Stadium for the first time, with games taking place behind closed doors last season due to COVID-19.
SoFi Stadium said Square will allow it to create a “multifaceted and dynamic approach” to the game-day commerce experience. Square’s ecosystem of products and services will power commerce and contactless payments across every checkout and purchase point at SoFi Stadium, which is a fully cashless venue.
The agreement covers hundreds of concession stands, bars, roving hawkers and merchandise retail stores, with Square’s integrated point-of-sale software and hardware designed to enable more convenient transactions and create a streamlined payment experience for fans. It is hoped the partnership will reduce queues and increase check-out speeds.
Skarpi Hedinsson, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park’s chief technology officer, said: “SoFi Stadium is a world-class facility and the largest stadium in the NFL. Maintaining that level of service requires selecting technology partners who can match that scale.
“Square is at the forefront of innovation across payment and transactions and shares our passion for incredible customer service. As a cashless venue, our partnership will offer fast, reliable and secure contactless payments for guests that helps to create a safe and streamlined experience at SoFi Stadium.”
Ashley Grech, global head of sales at Square, added: “Square’s integrated products and platform enable sellers of all sizes to run their businesses, and as a proud partner of SoFi Stadium – the biggest and most advanced stadium in the country – we’re eager to continue to show what’s possible for stadiums and retail districts.
“Fan experience, fan safety, and long-term fan engagement will remain top of mind for every sports and entertainment venue for many seasons to come. Square’s continued commitment to providing seamless, reliable, and safe contactless commerce, as well as the data insights operators need to optimise their sales, makes us ideally suited to help organisations modernise and future-proof their operations.”
Square’s point-of-sale and team management provides stadium operators with information such as top-selling items and busiest purchasing times, while its API integrations enable operators to integrate the service into any front-end fan experience or back-end data system.
SoFi Stadium will use more than 1,000 Square Register and Square Terminal units to power sales. The former offers separate seller- and buyer-facing displays to enable smoother experiences for employees and fans, while the latter’s all-in-one payment processing capabilities enable hawkers to take card and contactless payments directly at fans’ seats.
Square’s platform also integrates with SoFi Stadium’s partners for mobile application development, inventory management, kitchen display systems and digital signage.
Square’s agreement will also cover YouTube Theater, a new 6,000-seat performance venue at Hollywood Park which opened last month.
Image: Hollywood Park
