Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
As sports fans return to stadiums after nearly two years of the Covid pandemic, payment processors are eyeing a big opportunity for transaction volume. In the latest development, one of the biggest players in this game, Shift4 Payments Inc., said early Wednesday it has signed Audi Field in Washington, D.C., as its latest client.
The stadium, which was completed in 2018 at a cost of $400 million, is the home principally of the D.C. United soccer team. Allentown, Pa.-based Shift4 said it will provide processing for all commerce transactions in the venue, including mobile ordering for food and drinks, on a unified platform that relies on VenueNext, a company Shift4 acquired last year for $72 million. Operations will begin with the soccer club’s season opener on Feb. 26.
Key to this latest implementation, as well as to prior ones, is that all the ordering and payment technology comes from one source and ties into one platform, observers say. “A mobile-first approach to commerce is increasingly becoming the standard,” said Anthony Perez, head of enterprise at Shift4, in a statement. “Fans want a frictionless experience and venues want reduced complexity. By implementing our entire suite of solutions, we’re able to meet both the fans’ and the venues’ needs without the complexity and expense of multiple solutions providers.”
Other stadiums where Shift4 and VenueNext have installed digital payments capability in the past year include Petco Park in San Diego, the United Center in Chicago, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
D.C. United, which has played its home matches in Washington since 1998, moved to the new, 20,000-seat arena when it opened. Besides soccer matches, the venue also hosts some 100 events throughout the year, including college football games. The arena comprises some 31 suites, as well as clubs and bars, according to information from Stadia magazine.
