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Panasonic in arena ticketing drive

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has joined forces with PIA Corporation in an effort to enhance the user experience for fans through electronic ticketing at stadiums and arenas.

Panasonic noted that Japanese venues currently require “many manual steps” to confirm entrance tickets and purchase items. Together with PIA, Panasonic will seek to centralise information in ticketing services, which form the entry point for stadium experiences and the information from facilities and devices inside the venue.

By collaborating to centralise information in ticketing services, which form the entry point for stadium experiences, and the information from facilities and devices inside the stadium, Panasonic and PIA plan to develop and promote a wide range of new stadium services together with various business partners.

“Concretely, services such as gate confirmation, route guidance and cashless transactions can be linked to information via electronic ticket devices (smartphones, contactless IC cards and wearables), for more comfortable and more pleasant use of facilities.

“The companies also aim to develop services that further enhance operations with labor-saving improvements and greater efficiency.”

The initiative will kick off on November 24 with the J-League football match between Gamba Osaka and V-Varen Nagaski at Panasonic Stadium in Suita, Osaka.

Panasonic and PIA will work with Dai Nippon Printing and Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company to verify the operation of the stadium service platform, through which approximately 30,000 home spectators will be provided entry for the J-League match using electronic ticketing.

Panasonic noted that about 57 per cent of Gamba Osaka fans currently enter the stadium with paper tickets, with venue staff visually checking the face of the ticket. The cashless usage rate at stores and food shops inside the stadium is also only about 10-20 per cent, according to Panasonic.

For the verification test, all spectators will use fan club cards, smartphone QR tickets, wearable tickets or other forms of electronic tickets.

The initiative has been launched with Japan currently preparing to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Olympic Games.

Images: Panasonic