Brandon Scott
Head of Sports | Mashgin
Artificial intelligence may be a hot button issue in the entertainment industry with many fearing it, but the technology has been embraced by many arenas and stadiums across the nation as it has improved business while enhancing the fan experience.
One of those companies improving that tech is Mashgin, a tech firm that aims to make checkout seamless with its AI-powered self-checkout kiosk that can cut wait times at food lines and gates to get fans back in their seats quicker. Brandon Scott, who spearheaded many of the company’s sports efforts, is looking to work with more arenas and stadiums.
“I truly believe each venue we’ve launched has been impactful and been a very rewarding experience,” said Scott, Mashgin’s head of sports. “Our success in college athletics and MLB stand out, having hit 22 baseball venues and 20 NCAA venues this year.”
With an international client in Australia’s Adelaide Oval under their belts, Mashgin has also seen interest from Canadian and European sites, which can bring unique challenges for the company with payments and integrations, but it only helps the tech company find ways to enhance its product, which continues to evolve.
“I am obviously excited about the focus on speed of service,” Scott says. “Overall, the commitment to improve the fan experience, from ease of entry at gates to shorter, faster lines is becoming a standard across the industry. Beyond speed, I’ve been really impressed by immersive fan experiences like augmented reality and interactive on field/court visuals.”
And it will only continue to grow as more venues invest in the fan experience with baseball rule changes speeding up games and demand for live entertainment not slowing down as many artists answer the call from fans to go on the road.
“Attendance data for MLB and concerts have been outstanding,” Scott said. “I expect this to continue through the NFL and arena seasons into 2024. Venues have really stepped up all aspects of fan experience and are continuing to provide value to guests.”
Scott couldn’t go into specifics when it comes to what is on the horizon for Mashgin, but he did say the Palo Alto, California-based company “will be bringing iconic venues online across the globe in the coming months.” — Oscar Areliz
