CINCINNATI (ENQUIRER) - Ticket scanning might just be a thing of the past with this new Cincinnati Reds entry system.
MLB Go-Ahead Entry, the new ballpark entry system developed by Major League Baseball, allows Reds fans to enter the park hands-free using facial authentication technology, according to the Enquirer.
Fans can opt into the feature by following the prompts inside the MLB Ballpark app, which captures an image of the ticket holder's face. Then, fans can use the Go-Ahead Entry Lanes at Great American Ball Park, where a facial authentication camera scans their face and enables entry.
The feature authorizes all tickets purchased under one ticket-holder, meaning one fan's picture can authorize entry for them and the friends or family members they purchased tickets for, as long as that one fan enabled the feature inside the MLB Ballpark app.
The system is now available at two ballpark gates: Gate A on Crosley Terrace and Gate J at the Reds Hall of Fame breezeway. The technology launched at the Monday, Aug. 12, game versus the St. Louis Cardinals and will continue the remainder of the season, Michael Anderson, the Reds' director of public relations, confirmed.
Reds staff are stationed at each Go-Ahead Entry Lane to monitor the camera, ensure each ticket-holder is authorized successfully and sort out any hiccups, Anderson added.
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia piloted the entry system last season. It is now available at six MLB ballparks: Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies; Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros; Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals; Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants; Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, and now Great American Ball Park
The MLB spent about two and a half years developing the system after hearing fan feedback about how entry into ballparks can be slow, Karri Zaremba, the league's senior vice president of ballpark experience and ticketing, told The Enquirer.
Go-Ahead Entry works when ticket-holders enter the MLB Ballpark app and capture an image of themselves.
That image is then converted into a unique code of letters and numbers, and the image itself is deleted. This code is automatically matched with a ticket holder's account, enabling them to enter the ballpark past a facial authentication camera. The camera scans the ticket holder's face to match with the code enrolled in the system and allows access.
Once fans have enrolled in the MLB entry system, they can use the service at any MLB ballpark that currently offers Go-Ahead Entry.
The Reds stated in a press release that "fans who used Go-Ahead Entry lanes at Citizens Bank Park last season went through 68% faster than a traditional entry lane."
Data about the entry lane's efficiency at Great American Ball Park is not yet available, Anderson said.
The Enquirer checked out the entry system Wednesday before the Reds' matchup against the Cardinals. Marked by plenty of signage, the Go-Ahead Entry Lane at Gate A was easy to find with several Reds staff stationed to help fans.
Over the course of an hour, a handful of fans had to stop at the facial authentication camera when the scan did not detect the ticket-holder's face successfully. Usually, a minute or so of assistance from a Reds staff member sorted out the issue and allowed the ticket-holder to be successfully scanned by the camera.