Ticketmaster SafeTix Digitally Encrypted Tickets About To Launch
Today’s concert-goers dislike real paper tickets and many have wondered why digital tickets on your phone or print-at-home aren’t the norm. The industry has more or less shunned anything digital over piracy concerns, but now the new Ticketmaster SafeTix is ready to launch. This next generation digital ticket program promises to make the whole ticket process easier and safer than before.
As far as promoters are concerned, print-at-home tickets and tickets on your phone have been undesirable because the attached barcode is easy to copy through something as simple as a quick screen grab. They’re not so much worried about concert-goers doing the pirating as they are with unscrupulous ticket brokers. SafeTix creates an encrypted barcode that refreshes every few seconds and allows fans to scan in for a show or sporting event as they walk past a ticketing turnstile, which virtually eliminates screen-grab piracy.
There’s also more to SafeTix than the anti-piracy aspect. “The tickets also include NFC technology that will allow fans to enter venues through a simple ‘tap and go’ experience at venue entrances,” according to a press release from Ticketmaster.
Ticketmaster SafeTix will also “allow event owners to communicate directly with event attendees, providing fans with relevant venue or event-specific instructions or personalized food and beverage or merchandise offers while they are on site, and engaging with them after an event is over,” according to a release.
The new digital ticket will be rolled out at NFL stadiums this summer, but will also be available at concert venue that subscribe to Ticketmaster’s Presence software. Presence makes it easier for the promoter to understand who is in the building on an event night because each ticket is tied to a fan’s mobile phone.
In any event, it looks like ticketing has finally been brought up to speed with consumer’s everyday consumer digital usage, and that’s a good thing. Now if only they’d eliminate those heinous service charges.
