UEFA rolled out a secure ticketing program supported by blockchain technology for last Wednesday’s Super Cup between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid in the Estonian capital of Tallinn.
The annual match pitting the champions of the Champions League and Europa League—won 4-2 by Atlético—used blockchain-based iOS and Android apps for all of the general sale tickets. UEFA revealed on Thursday that the system had also been used in several test events, including for half of the publicly sold tickets to the Europa League final between Atlético and Marseille in Lyon, France, on May 16.
Fans who purchased tickets were sent an activation code and link to download the app. They then presented their smartphones with the app and Bluetooth enabled at the stadium gate for entry. UEFA shared a short video explaining the process.
SportTechie Takeaway
The sports and entertainment worlds are rapidly moving to a fully paperless ticketing system. There are two driving factors for this. One, teams and venues want the inherent consumer information that comes along with the use of a mobile device and, two, these digital systems can minimize the risk of fraud. That’s where this sort of blockchain-linked program can help, especially for high-profile events.