AIFI
When fans enter Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday to watch Game 1 of the Nets’ first round playoff series against the Boston Celtics they can grab food and other NBA-related products without having to deal with another human being.
The American Express Shop, located on the Atlantic Ave. side of the arena near the American Express entrance, will offer a contactless and what the Nets and AmEx are calling a frictionless shopping experience just in time for an increased fan capacity in the arena of at least 10,000. American Express card holders will have to tap their card on a panel to gain entry through a sliding glass partition.
Once inside the store, sensors will be able to identify the weight of each item that fans pick up off the shelves. Once that item is off the shelf, the monetary value assigned to that item is automatically placed in the customer’s cart. Once that customer leaves the store, the total amount spent is automatically charged to the customer’s American Express card. Those simple customer actions required Barclays Center’s manager of operational strategy and analytics to individually weigh each item multiple times to ensure a seamless fan experience when the store officially opens Saturday.
“Live sports and entertainment events are a major passion point for our card members and the desire for contactless transactions is continuing to grow,” said Lindsay Ulrey, American Express’ vice president of global sports experiences and partnerships.
A recent American Express survey on digital payments found that 70% of merchants said that since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, customers have requested more contactless payment options. An even higher percentage, 73%, said they’d prefer customers to pay with a card or app instead of cash, with 84% saying it’s safer for personal health. Of those merchants, 81% said they intended to make contactless purchases a permanent option for their customers going forward.
The Nets and American Express, with curation from Barclays Center’s hospitality vendors Levy Restaurants and E15, chose food from local Brooklyn small business vendors Brooklyn Bites, Brooklyn Brittle, Dona Chai, Buffalo Boss, and Paisanos Provisions to be on the store’s shelves for fans to safely and conveniently purchase.
“We know small businesses across Brooklyn have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and The American Express Shop at Barclays Center provides these businesses with an additional source of revenue,” said Chris Giacalone, Barclays Center’s vice president of hospitality.
“As a tech forward company, we couldn’t be more excited to bring this transformative space to life for American Express Card members just in time for the NBA Playoffs,” said Michael Wandell, BSE Global’s chief commercial officer.