Industry News

Sounders upgrade app to enhance paperless ticketing

Major League Soccer franchise Seattle Sounders has updated its mobile application as it attempts to improve its paperless ticketing strategy.

The Washington club made a big shift toward mobile ticketing last season, asking season ticket holders to use their phone as a ticket, instead of the plastic MatchPass cards used in the past. Seattle was the first MLS franchise to adopt full mobile ticketing for season ticket holders.

However, the Sounders felt the app was not as intuitive as fans might have hoped, which has led to iOS and Android app updates to give season ticket holders a seamless way to access their tickets.

“There’s no more navigating through menus to get to your tickets,” Sounders chief Bart Wiley told the GeekWire website. “When you log in, your tickets are right there in front of you.”

Last year, season ticket holders could use the app to get in games, or print tickets at home for an extra fee. That resulted in a backlash from some fans, and so, in response, the club brought back the plastic MatchPass card the season for fans that prefer that option.

“But we are still bullish on mobile ticketing,” he added. “We believe that’s where the industry is headed, if it’s not there already. We live in a tech-friendly city with a tech-friendly fan base that has adapted to mobile ticketing at levels that we were pleasantly surprised by.”

The updated app also includes easier access to the most popular features — news, video and schedules — based on usage metrics that the club looked at from last season.

The Sounders update comes after MLS franchise Orlando City recently revealed it will employ a paperless ticketing strategy at its new stadium, which is scheduled to open next month ahead of the 2017 season.