New York Mets Offer Face-based Entry at Citi Field

The New York Mets are rolling out a face-based ticketing system for the 2022 season. The Entry Express solution was developed by the computer vision specialist Wicket, and uses facial recognition to verify the identities of fans and to check digital tickets as people enter Citi Field.

To use the new system, Mets fans will first need to register their faces at MLB.com. They will then be able to approach a Wicket terminal when they get to the stadium, and will be allowed to proceed if they have purchased a ticket to that particular game.

According to the Mets, the system will minimize congestion and allow fans to enter the stadium and get to their seats more quickly. Wicket’s tech will eliminate the need for manual scans, so fans who opt in will no longer need to stop and take out their phones to present a digital ticket.

The Mets previewed the Wicket system during a Citi Field showcase of new amenities being rolled out for the 2022 baseball season. The Cleveland Browns and the Columbus Crew have already deployed Wicket’s technology in the NFL and MLS, respectively, while the New York Mets trialed the solution at VIP gates at roughly 20 games in 2021.

The Mets are the first MLB team to take advantage of Wicket’s tech, and could expand its use to other areas of Citi Field in the months and years ahead. Most notably, the company hinted at a possible naked payments system that would allow fans to pay for foods with their faces at concession stands. Citi Field has dabbled with naked payments in the past, most notably with fingerprint-powered checkout terminals from CLEAR back in 2019. Fingerprint technology was also used for access control at four MLB stadiums during that same year.

The Wicket system is robust enough to identify fans who are wearing masks. It is also entirely opt-in, so fans are still welcome to present tickets on their phone if they are worried about privacy. Those 13 and under must choose the latter option, since the use of facial recognition on minors is restricted under New York state law. Registered faces are converted to a numerical value, and will not be shared with third parties or stored on the Wicket terminals installed at the stadium. The news reflects the broader interest in biometric ticketing systems.

Source: SportTechie

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April 1, 2022 – by Eric Weiss