Where to next on the Reebok IT bandwagon? (From The Bolton News)

Where to next on the Reebok IT bandwagon?

2:20pm Saturday 12th September 2009

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THE matchday experience has changed a lot since the Burnden Park days but the club’s IT director Dave Atkinson believes there is plenty more to come.

Wanderers fans have already seen the dissolution of traditional turnstiles and could soon see match tickets disappear completely as bar code technology takes hold.

Soon, it is thought a bar code will be sent straight to a mobile phone to be scanned when the fan enters the ground, allowing greater scope for police and stewards to safely control the flow of spectators.

More than 20 per cent of season tickets bought this summer were online, a figure Atkinson believes will increase significantly over the next five years. “The traditional way of buying tickets from the club is changing,” he said.

“Match days vary, so coming down to the Reebok to buy your ticket is not always convenient. We think eventually we’ll move to the bar code ticketing system you see at the MEN Arena or on flights — it makes it quicker and easier to control. A lot of clubs are doing it now. Our Team Card has already changed to the bar code system from the chip and pin, and that will eventually happen across the board.”

Another traditional matchday feature, the programme, is also set for a revamp. Following successful trials in other sports, it is expected that a “pregramme” could soon be available to supporters to give them access to the latest offers.

“It has been tried before throughout the UK in many different areas, and it’s something we like the look of,” said Atkinson.

“It gives us a chance to send information to the individual, whether that’s a teamsheet or information on ticketing or vouchers for the kiosk or special offers at the club shop. There are lots of uses.

“People seem to use their mobile phones for much more than just phone calls nowadays, and they’re more au fait with things like Bluetooth. It is used for other things, like sending photos, so this seems a natural progression.”

Queues for half-time refreshments become a thing of the past, as contactless technology allows purchases up to a certain amount to be sanctioned at the swipe of a card. Successful trials at the last World Cup have prompted several clubs to investigate the idea.

“It all comes down to being able to afford it,” said Atkinson, who spoke this week in a specially-convened meeting to discuss technological advances at Wanderers.

“The fact we’re talking about this is music to my ears. The club and its staff are willing to listen to me blather on about technology, keep an open mind, and then include it as part of the strategy to move forward.”

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