‘The Gunners’ (gun) for fans’ loyalty

Article posted by Coliseum, November 2^nd, 2020

Image: Arsenal London

Starting next season, the top-flight Premier League club Arsenal F.C. (UK) fans will be able to store tickets, secure rewards and make payments through an upgraded membership card.

Arsenal Football Club is a professional football club based in Islington, London, England, that plays in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The Emirates Stadium is a football stadium in Highbury, England, and the home of Arsenal.

The ‘My Arsenal Rewards’ card has been developed by the London-based Premier League club and banking group Barclays as well as Fortress GB, the sports loyalty and technology experts. Novel payment technology within the card will be embedded by Barclays which means that the card can be used for all online and offline purchases at Emirates Stadium, all club shops and anywhere that accepts Visa as a payment method.

Fans will also earn loyalty points based on specific interactions with the club, which they can then redeem for exclusive rewards or money-can’t-buy Arsenal experiences. ‘My Arsenal Rewards’ will also facilitate members to earn rewards by spending at several affiliated high street and online brands, including its club partners.

By offering incentives and rewards to Arsenal members directly through the program, club partners, retailers and other businesses will also be able to form a bonding with the club’s supporters.

Peter Silverstone, Arsenal’s Commercial Director, told mediapersons, “The development of this exciting program will allow us to reward our fans in a unique and personalized way. They will have the ability to earn points based on their engagement with the club and every time they spend money with the affiliate partners who will be involved.”

“Thanks to the technology from Barclays and Fortress GB, the card will be easy to use and we will be offering rewards that are genuinely meaningful to our supporters. To ensure this happens, we are working with our fans to shape the program and its rewards. We are also excited to be able to offer a new and groundbreaking way for our existing and prospective club partners to engage with, and reward, our loyal and engaged UK fan base.”

Uzi Apple, Chief Technology Officer at Fortress GB, remarked, “Fortress is delighted to announce that it is working with Arsenal and partnering with Barclays, to launch the club’s new fan rewards and affiliate program.

Fortress and Arsenal have had a long and mutually beneficial relationship since the club chose the Fortress Access control system for its stadium, and we are looking forward to working with Arsenal to expand the program over the coming years.”

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