Tampa Bay Rays Embrace Biometric ‘Go-Ahead Entry’ for Fans

The Tampa Bay Rays have become the latest MLB team to implement the Go-Ahead Entry facial authentication system, which has been deployed at the team’s Tropicana Field. The Rays are the seventh MLB team to embrace the tech.

Designed to streamline the fan entry process, this system leverages biometric data, effectively turning a fan’s face into their ticket. Users can register through the MLB Ballpark app by uploading a selfie, which the system then uses to authenticate their identity upon entry.

The Go-Ahead Entry system is projected to increase the speed of entering the stadium by approximately 68 percent, significantly enhancing the fan experience. According to Bill Walsh, the Rays’ Chief Business Officer, the initiative aims to create a more convenient and frictionless ingress for fans.

While the system offers convenience and an additional layer of security, it has also raised privacy concerns among some fans.

Speaking to local Tampa news site WTSP, Rays fan Tammy King expressed concerns about potential data breaches.

“My only concern with the biometrics is if the security system that they were using was hacked,” said King. “Then what else would they have access to using that data? With having your face.”

MLB officials characterized the system as using facial authentication, not facial recognition, and argued that it only scans individuals entering the stadium and is not linked to any external databases. Moreover, the system does not store fan images, but instead converts them into numeric tokens, which are securely stored and discarded immediately after use.

Participation in the Go-Ahead Entry system is entirely voluntary, and as an incentive, the Rays are offering two free tickets to a future game for fans who try out the system during the next seven games. The technology is available at five kiosks throughout Tropicana Field, providing fans multiple opportunities to experience this new method of stadium entry.

This is the latest example of the increase in use of biometric technology at sports stadiums throughout the world. In Australia, Adelaide’s Coopers Stadium recently announced it has implemented facial recognition technology for security purposes, becoming the third venue in Australia to do so. And back in the US, biometric cameras were used to identify over 7,000 fans who illegally entered the Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami earlier this summer.

Source: WTSP

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August 30, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis