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Lancashire Cricket claims first with blockchain ticketing activation

Lancashire Cricket is to activate blockchain mobile tickets for all domestic and international fixtures at Emirates Old Trafford in 2020, in what it claims is a UK first.

The club has teamed up with TIXnGO, which is a blockchain mobile ticketing platform that was launched by ELCA, the parent company of cloud-based solution SecuTix, which is the club’s ticketing service provider, in April 2019. The move follows a successful trial of the technology during the 2019 season.

Lancashire’s head of ticketing and digital systems, Jonathon Nuttall, said: “I’m delighted that the club has become the first organisation to use the new blockchain secure mobile tickets technology, as well introducing and developing a number of further enhancements to our ticketing operation at Emirates Old Trafford.

“During the 2019 season, over 80 per cent of tickets bought at Emirates Old Trafford have been made online, compared to less than 50 per cent in 2018 so it’s vitally important that we continue to improve the digital ticking technologies to ensure we make things as easy, and as enjoyable, as possible for those supporters booking with us.

“We’ve been working with SecuTix for nearly 18 months now and they are a developer who commit to the ticket buyer in a continual pursuit of delivering an amazing customer journey making ticket purchase a key part of the main event. We’re excited to continue developing our ticketing technologies alongside an organisation that shares our values regarding customer experience.”

Lancashire Cricket’s move to SecuTix, which was announced in March 2018, focused on ensuring that its ticketing system was capable of maximising the growth in mobile transactions and usability, whilst maintaining a customer focused offering for its traditional supporter.

David Hornby, UK managing director of SecuTix, added: “Blockchain technology addresses many of the ticketing issues that both sports organisations and fans alike face. TIXnGO creates a unique, encrypted ticket for smartphones that is completely traceable, removes the risk of counterfeit tickets and simplifies the process of transferring or reselling tickets for the customer. It easily plugs into Lancashire’s existing ticketing system to give fans a better and more secure digital mobile tickets experience.”

The club has also introduced a number of different ticketing technology initiatives over the past 12 months to enhance the overall member and supporter experience. They include an official new resale platform and offering the use of PACIFA technology, which shows supporters a 3D view from their seats before purchasing international and Vitality Blast tickets at Emirates Old Trafford.

The resale platform, which went live during the summer of 2019, has been jointly developed alongside SecuTix, and provides supporters a simple, user-friendly system to sell unwanted tickets up to face value throughout the season.