The Milwaukee Brewers are preparing to step up their game with a new hands-free ticket system at American Family Field, hoping to quickly move fans from the front gates to their seats. Starting on Opening Day, visitors can utilize the "Go-Ahead" entry, which employs facial authentication to validate tickets—a significant move away from traditional ticket scanning methods. As reported by WISN, the system aims to enhance the overall fan experience by cutting down entry times.
To take advantage of the new entry method, attendees are required to download the MLB Ballpark app, enroll, and scan their face to get started. Despite the high-tech upgrade, the standard security measures will stay the course. Guests will need to continue removing metal objects before passing through—but are able to keep their phones on them. Karri Zaremba from MLB told WISN, "So, MLB go ahead entry combines free flow security screening with facial authentication and access control. So, it already has screened you from a safety standpoint. And then this is just expediting the ticket validation step for entry."
The innovative "Go-Ahead" system will be available at specific gates on Opening Day, notably the Home Plate West and Third Base gates. According to WKOW, the system authenticates individuals with a green screen upon entry and takes a photo as they enter. This allows groups of any size to easily enter the ballpark as long as the tickets are linked to a single account.
Focusing on the broader impact, the technology has shown promising results, having been previously implemented in other MLB teams' arenas. Expanding this season, the "Go-Ahead" entry will involve a total of nine teams, pointing to a trend towards more streamlined and efficient processes at sporting events. As noted by WTMJ, the system is part of American Family Field's ongoing efforts to enhance the fan experience, coming off the heels of successful frictionless parking initiatives from the previous season. For now, "Go-Ahead" entry will solely be used for Brewers-related events at the park, as concertgoers and other events may require alternative ticketing systems like Ticketmaster, according to Steve Ethier with the Brewers in a statement obtained by WISN.
