‘the Yotes’ tech-packed offering for fans

Article posted by Coliseum, April 1^st, 2021

Image: NHL

Fans walking into the Gila River Arena (US) should double check while setting out from their homes that they are carrying their smart phones. As long as they have their device in their hands, everything checks out.

‘NHL.com’ stated that the professional ice hockey team Arizona Coyotes are making the best use of cutting-edge technology – they are introducing a new purchasing technology that will keep things moving, and even make fans safer at a time when COVID-19 is still spewing venom on the world and physical distancing has become the order of the day.

The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona (US). The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the West Division. The team first played at America West Arena in downtown Phoenix, before moving to Glendale’s Gila River Arena in 2003.

The 18,300-capacity Gila River Arena is a sports and entertainment arena at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Arizona. Located about 12.5 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix, the arena was built at a construction cost of $220 million and serves as the home venue of the Arizona Coyotes.

Through an innovation developed by VenueNext, a Silicon Valley-based technology company, Coyotes supporters will be able to buy food, beverage and merchandise items simply by scanning product codes straight from their phones.

‘NHL.com’ further stated that the new feature is now built into the systems used by Levy Restaurants and Legends Global Merchandise, the Coyotes food and beverage and retail partners. (The ‘Scan & Go’ stands for Levy are located at Section 115 across from Streets of New York Pizza and at Section 119 across from Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers).

Coyotes President-cum-CEO Xavier Gutierrez said the partnership and app is a result of the team’s total determination to create a more safer and convenient setting for fans in a COVID-struck world – “There have been some lessons learned from the pandemic that we can build on and create a better experience for our fans in the future.”

Gutierrez is confident that the benefits of this futuristic technology will prove to be even more advantageous and beneficial once the world comes out from the dark shadow of coronavirus.

The Coyotes are one of two professional sports teams – the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) Orlando Magic being the other – to team up with VenueNext to beta test the technology.

VenueNext CEO Anthony Perez stressed on the power of the mobile devices the fans have with them at live events, such as Coyotes games – “Our philosophy has always been that commerce truly requires just one piece of hardware: The device the fan brings with them. Our self-checkout product is the perfect reflection of that philosophy.”

VenueNext also builds custom mobile apps for concert venues, hotels and hospitals.

Employing the new technology will allow VenueNext to collect better data on fans, which then will allow the Coyotes analyze and customize for improved fan experiences.

“We want to be tech-enabled in everything we do,” Gutierrez asserted.

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