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AHL's San Diego Gulls to Debut Facial Ticketing and Concession PaymentsByAndrew CohenApril 20, 2022

The American Hockey Leagues San Diego Gulls will debut facial recognition ticket admission and concession payments for tonights game against the Abbotsford Canucks at Pechanga Arena in San Diego. The deployment is the first of its kind through a partnership between facial verification company PopID and ASM Global, which operates more than 300 sports and entertainment venues.

Fans can register for the optional facial recognition services at Pechanga Arena by uploading a selfie and form of payment to PopID. PopIDs software will integrate into point-of-sale devices at the arena's ticketing gates and concession stands, allowing ticketed fans to enter the arena and pay for food and beverages by simply standing in front of the facial verification kiosks.

The deployment of this technology in our venues represents the beginning of a revolutionary change in the entertainment world, ASM Global CEO and president Ron Bension said in a statement. The PopID platform will allow us to eliminate the dependence on cards and phones at our events and ensure that every guest interaction is secure, speedy and seamless.

PopID announced its multi-year partnership with ASM Global in March. Other ASM Global-operated venues with upcoming plans to debut facial verification include the Fresno, Calif.-based Save Mart Center and the Ontario, Calif.-based Toyota Arena, as well as the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. ASM Global is a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which operates major sports venues such as Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Pechanga Arena, originally known as the San Diego Sports Arena, is the latest among a growing list of sports venues to adapt facial recognition to serve fans. The New York Mets are offering facial ticket admission at Citi Field through the clubs deal with Wicket, a first for an MLB team. Mets VP of technology solutions Oscar Fernandez told SportTechie that the team has a longterm roadmap to deploy facial payments at concession stands. LaLiga club Osasuna also recently partnered with dasGate to become the first Spanish soccer club to offer facial ticketing earlier this month.

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