I love technology except when it sucks, and mobile tickets are an example of sucky technology.
The experience at the Rose Bowl is a case in point. I saw many instances of large groups (8+ people) where the entire group's tickets were on one guy's phone. As the phone holder would approach the ticket scanner, he'd struggle to assemble his group for entry, with a need sometimes to push other people out of the way. The human scanner would appear distressed as he or she was trying to be sure they were admitting the right people.
At other events and stadiums, I've seen people struggling at the last minute to pull up their tickets on their phone. Sometimes it's clear that it's a case of the person not being familiar with the technology. In other instances, the customer failed to previously move the tickets to their Apple or Google wallet, and they then have trouble accessing a signal to bring up their e-mail or their Ticketmaster or StubHub app as they're trying to enter the stadium.
I say bring back paper tickets. I honestly believe they would speed up the entry process. Another bonus is everyone then has a nice, tangible, hard-copy souvenir from the game. What do you think?
@big-ryan If I can, I always print a paper ticket. Cell service and batteries can fail, but I don't think you can even do a paper version of these tix. It's in my Apple wallet and if they don't work? Well, it won't be the first iphone shattered on the ground out of frustration!
I have only used mobile tix maybe 7-8 years really. The first few events up here for Michigan Tech hockey games or concerts before I was familiar with it, and I am not an idiot with tech, I had a glitch or two but the ticket checker was always able to explain how to resolve it quickly.
Gawd, I can't imagine trying to do that with Rose Bowl level people. Going to be plenty of rookies like me. Plus just people flat not doing the obvious checks to be ready at the gate.
I prefer mobile tickets, but doubt I would at a huge event... They should have separate lines. But if the ticket is ready on your phone its just as good or better. But the common paper tix are easy.
I laughed at your last sentence. I totally get it.
I'm thinking this through. Mobile ticketing allows for last-minute transactions, so they're not going away. But maybe have some gates dedicated to paper ticket entry only.
I have only used mobile tix maybe 7-8 years really. The first few events up here for Michigan Tech hockey games or concerts before I was familiar with it, and I am not an idiot with tech, I had a glitch or two but the ticket checker was always able to explain how to resolve it quickly.
Gawd, I can't imagine trying to do that with Rose Bowl level people. Going to be plenty of rookies like me. Plus just people flat not doing the obvious checks to be ready at the gate.
I prefer mobile tickets, but doubt I would at a huge event. They should have separate lines.
Agree.
I laughed at your last sentence. I totally get it.
I'm thinking this through. Mobile ticketing allows for last-minute transactions, so they're not going away. But maybe have some gates dedicated to paper ticket entry only.
It also creates much greater protection for ticket holders. A mid-90s Rose Bowl had a number of fans (Wisconsin?) fall victim to counterfeit paper tickets resulting in a number of people not getting into the stadium.
Sounds like it was a Rose Bowl staffing problem... About 5-6 years ago the Colts (all NFL) starting using only e-tix so I had to learn how to deal with it early on.... the first year was a mess. There were a couple of times when, only a few days before a game, my e-tix would just disappear from my account POOF!... then, miraculously they show up in my account about 24 hrs before kickoff... it made for some high anxiety.... eventually it became easy and pretty fool proof. But that was after having to talk to my Colts acct rep three of four times.... People who weren't season ticket holders were the biggest hold up when in line to get in... most didn't know how to bring them up on their phone.... I thought if they're that stupid about it in this day and age then they probably think there's something called a football-bat. Still, regardless of what event I'm going to, it offers both e-tix and paper, I print the ticket and take paper.
I laughed at your last sentence. I totally get it.
I'm thinking this through. Mobile ticketing allows for last-minute transactions, so they're not going away. But maybe have some gates dedicated to paper ticket entry only.
It also creates much greater protection for ticket holders. A mid-90s Rose Bowl had a number of fans (Wisconsin?) fall victim to counterfeit paper tickets resulting in a number of people not getting into the stadium.
The 1994 Rose Bowl problem didn't involve counterfeit paper tickets. What happened was a UCLA booster was allowed to buy several thousand tickets, leading to a ticket shortage for Wisconsin fans looking to attend the game.
There are at least as many opportunities for fraud with mobile tickets as there are with paper ones. Mobile ticket scams include copying the mobile ticket's barcode and selling it to multiple buyers. (I have a friend who fell victim to this at the Bucket game in '24). The first buyer to have the ticket scanned gets into the event, the others get turned away and spend the night trying to reach a live rep at StubHub or TM to report the scam and get their money back. Other mobile ticket scams include counterfeit digital tickets where the fraudster uses graphic design software to make fake (but realistic-looking) mobile tickets, including barcodes and logos. Victims are denied entry to the event. Non-delivery scams are also common.
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