Rays unveil new facial authentication technology

The Tampa Bay Rays are among the first Major League Baseball teams to implement new facial authentication technology that enables seamless, hands-free entry into Tropicana Field.

The Catalyst received a sneak peek of the team’s “Go-Ahead Entry” system Wednesday. The official launch is Friday, before a game against the San Diego Padres.

Rays fans who sign up for the optional program will receive two free tickets to one of seven remaining home matchups. Bill Walsh, chief business officer, said the process is “literally as simple as walking into the building.”

“It recognizes you from about 10 feet out,” Walsh elaborated. “You don’t even break stride, and by the time you take a few more steps – you’re validated.”

MLB created the new technology. Users must first download the latest version of the Ballpark App and upload a selfie to enroll in the program.

Go-Ahead Entry’s software creates a numerical token using a person’s facial features. The system immediately deletes pictures and biometric scans and stores the associated code.

Walsh said the tech instantly authenticates someone, even if they are wearing a hat or sunglasses. He noted team hosts had to continuously remind users not to pause for recognition when MLB piloted the program.

“The ease for the fan is so much better of an experience,” Walsh said. “Your phone stays in your pocket; you don’t have to do anything.”

The team will launch the new technology Friday.

Until now, entry required ticketholders to unlock their phone and scan a virtual ticket. The process demands precise barcode placement and adequate screen brightness.

A dead battery or forgotten device could ruin a trip to the ballpark. Walsh said Go-Ahead Entry is the next step in the team’s continuous journey to mitigate friction points.

He noted that attending a game can be exhausting with fighting traffic, finding an ideal parking spot and waiting in lines. The team benefits from creating better gameday experiences that “make you want to come back more often.”

The Rays will commence construction on a new ballpark adjacent to the Trop early next year, and Walsh said ingress and egress patterns will soon change. He believes Go-Ahead Entry will allow the team to accommodate additional traffic at secondary gates and called its increased efficiency a “huge asset.”

“We’re going to learn a lot from it, too,” Walsh added. “We’re going to figure out how to position the next generation of Go-Ahead to really deploy this at our new facility in a much more informed way.”

The Rays will become the seventh MLB franchise to use the innovative system. Teams must pay for the hardware, dubbed monoliths.

The mobile machines feature technologically advanced cameras and large LED displays. The triangular light at the top will illuminate green to signify authentication.

The Philadelphia Phillies beta-tested the system last year. Walsh said team officials initially questioned its benefits and walked away “really, really impressed.”

“Folks that you may not traditionally expect to be early adopters of a technology like this are coming in,” he said. “It almost creates this magical moment on entry …

“It gave us a lot of confidence to move forward with it and sign up to be one of the first wave of teams this season.”

Bill Walsh, chief business officer for the Rays, at a media event in March.

Gate 7, at Ballpark & Rec, will only serve Go-Ahead Entry users. Gates 1, 5 and 6 will offer an additional lane to accommodate the new system.

Walsh stressed that the new feature is optional. In addition, an enrollee can walk a group of skeptics into a game, provided all tickets are under their MLB Ballpark account.

While there is “no pressure” to enroll, Walsh noted season ticket holders will receive double the typical allotment of Rays Reward Points for using the system. All users will receive a voucher for two free tickets.

The enrollment process takes less than a minute. Walsh said someone could theoretically join while walking up to the stadium.

He said the Rays Tech Team, led by Matt Fitzpatrick, excels at marrying new technology with “old school” customer service. In addition to several on-field innovations, the franchise has pioneered virtual wallets, cash-less payments, checkout-free concessions and unique turf over the past decade.

“We’ve continued to think about Tropicana Field as a laboratory for us in terms of what we can test, how we can incubate and what we can learn,” Walsh said. “So, when we do have the ability to roll things out at scale or in a new and different way in the new building, we’re more informed and can do it in a way that’s more impactful – and with less risk.”