Fenway to be fully cashless, among other changes for 2022

[Catcher Block]

What is the contingency plan for any system outage? I have no clue how prevalent those are, but I could envision a 30 minute outage being a shitshow.

At Busch, cash is still the backup plan. Enough is kept on hand in reserve that it can be distributed and used on short notice throughout the ballpark, but that's not a contingency that can be stress-tested very well.

In-seat vendors and concession stands with traditional registers just pivot to cash for as long as they can. The real issue are the self-service kiosks that have popped up at 20% of our stands. Those are dead in the water if they can't run credit cards.

In the ticket office, we have a couple backup plans in place. A few boxes of pre-printed, $10 GA tickets that are designed to be torn on entry and even some of the old card imprinter devices we can get away with using in a real pinch. We shove all that in a drawer each season and hope it never sees the light of day. We keep about 50% as much as on hand as we used to for ticket sales, but we still have enough to cover an extended processor outage.

 

[Bunt4aTriple]

What is the contingency plan for any system outage? I have no clue how prevalent those are, but I could envision a 30 minute outage being a shitshow.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I can't remember what ballpark I went to a couple of years ago but it was really slick. I think it was Oracle. They had an app where you could see all the concession stands in a particular area and you could order from your phone and you got a text when it was ready. Then you just picked up your stuff. If it was beer there was a guy there to look at your license. Everything was cashless and it looked like season ticket holders had cards that they just passed down to the concession guy and they would yell out a tip and they could get receipts that showed their balance. They had signs pointing to ATM machines where you could put cash in and it would give you a card you could use.

 

[CoffeeNerdness]

At Busch, cash is still the backup plan. Enough is kept on hand in reserve that it can be distributed and used on short notice throughout the ballpark, but that's not a contingency that can be stress-tested very well.

In-seat vendors and concession stands with traditional registers just pivot to cash for as long as they can. The real issue are the self-service kiosks that have popped up at 20% of our stands. Those are dead in the water if they can't run credit cards.

In the ticket office, we have a couple backup plans in place. A few boxes of pre-printed, $10 GA tickets that are designed to be torn on entry and even some of the old card imprinter devices we can get away with using in a real pinch. We shove all that in a drawer each season and hope it never sees the light of day. We keep about 50% as much as on hand as we used to for ticket sales, but we still have enough to cover an extended processor outage.

"The system is down go to contingency plan A!"

"Plan A in place."

"Great, now why isn't anyone buying anything."

"They don't have cash."

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I can't remember what ballpark I went to a couple of years ago but it was really slick. I think it was Oracle. They had an app where you could see all the concession stands in a particular area and you could order from your phone and you got a text when it was ready. Then you just picked up your stuff. If it was beer there was a guy there to look at your license. Everything was cashless and it looked like season ticket holders had cards that they just passed down to the concession guy and they would yell out a tip and they could get receipts that showed their balance. They had signs pointing to ATM machines where you could put cash in and it would give you a card you could use.

This sort of thing is even available at minor league parks now. Not only ordering food from your seat for pick-up, but delivered to your seat as well. I used it at a Sea Dogs game last summer. My 72 year old mother and her two artificial hips wasn't about to navigate the stairs again just to get a hot dog and a soda. And I didn't have to miss half an inning waiting in line to get it for her.

 

[Catcher Block]

"They don't have cash."

I can definitely see this being an issue for us in 2-3 years, but as it stands now, we still have to tell around 50% of fans that we don't accept cash when they try to pay with that first. Could be a different story in other cities.

 

[kenneycb]

How often do system outages occur?

 

[cornwalls@6]

I think you are asking about someone like me and my family. We cannot afford cable packages with NESN, let alone a trip to Fenway and 3 tickets.
That said, I cannot see the cashless option being much of an obstacle though.

Say we were gifted tickets to a game:
Considering I haven’t been to a game since 2003 (Papi extra inning walk off after a Todd Walker homer to tie it!), and my wife and daughter have never been to Fenway, exchanging cash for a prepaid is totally worth waiting in line. I’d even miss the first half an inning just to be at the park!

But generally, we eat before we go places and would probably settle for shared concession snacks, if anything at all. This goes for any event we attend.

Last year in Portland, my daughter was fine with just an ice cream sandwich.
We like to eat, but we look at those prices as a rip off; so it’s a meal before, then a full belly for the game.

As someone who cannot get a credit card, I wouldn’t be bothered one bit with the prepaid card thing. Being priced out of many events leads to a mindset of “just happy to be here.”

Thanks for the response, and hopefully these kiosks do the trick, without too much disruption to the enjoyment of the game for those that use them. Also, and apologies if I'm over-stepping, but I hope circumstances improve for you and your family.

 

[Awesome Fossum]

What is the contingency plan for any system outage? I have no clue how prevalent those are, but I could envision a 30 minute outage being a shitshow.

I ushered at the Austin MLS stadium, which is also fully cashless. There was no contingency. If the system went down, you just couldn't buy a beer or whatever until it came back up.

Edit: Only happened once or twice for maybe 30 minutes. And I'm not even sure if it was stadium-wide or just the concession stand nearest to me. Definitely didn't seem like the end of the world, but I'm sure my perspective would have been different if I were the one being denied a $12 Michelob Ultra.

 

[Bosoxian]

Preventing someone from getting a Mich Ultra is a noble cause

 

[Mueller's Twin Grannies]

Apologies for not reading the whole press release, but this seems to me to be what a lot of eateries and breweries are doing, with the QR code that you'll scan to bring up the ordering page. I imagine you'll put your ticket info so they can bring it straight to you without any risk of lost cards or stolen info (use a VPN or digital security on your device). If you're at the stand, it'll probably be similar.

Cash may always be king but the actual hard copy is going the way of the dodo. This is just Fenway accepting it. Maybe overcompensating a little, but maybe also due to trying to limit how many hands are involved in any one transaction/handling in this "new normal."

 

[YTF]

What is the contingency plan for any system outage? I have no clue how prevalent those are, but I could envision a 30 minute outage being a shitshow.

"I'm sorry our system is down. Do you have cash?"

 

[PseuFighter]

I think it's ridiculous that measures put in place "for covid" were just excuses to implement longstanding changes. That's the reality of the world, I guess. (edit: I realize that cashless is new this year, but lots of places started it during covid).

This does suck for a lot of people; unbanked, no credit cards, and assumes the system to transfer cash to a card and the system in general remains up/stable. I remember being at a different stadium (actually, make that two stadiums) that was trying this and the system was failing so stands quickly reverted back to cash, and another place where foreign issued credit cards weren't being accepted at a pretty big international event.

Tbh it would be nice in 2022 if they moved to cashless + full in-seat service as some stadiums have. Just buy whatever you want on your phone and have runners bring your order to your seat. The lengthy rows make it a challenge, but I think they'd figure out a way to make it work. Or as someone else upthread mentioned, a way to order ahead to a specific stand. I've seen that elsewhere and it's pretty sweet. The systems I've seen generate a qr code on order confirmation that you bring to the stand and just pick your order up. Basically eliminates lines.

 

[Yo La Tengo]

First reaction... I think it looks good. Curious how it will impact wind patterns within the park.

Also, RIP Dunkin Dugout.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

View attachment 50859

First reaction... I think it looks good. Curious how it will impact wind patterns within the park.

Also, RIP Dunkin Dugout.

Were the white circle background removed from the retired numbers recently?

 

[jayhoz]

I'd imaging going cashless brings with it a ton of efficiencies and cost reduction. Reconciling all that cash back to each register/terminal must be a major PIA. Not to mention storing it, transporting it, and ultimately depositing it.

 

[Ale Xander]

View attachment 50859

First reaction... I think it looks good. Curious how it will impact wind patterns within the park.

Also, RIP Dunkin Dugout.

Are there inside pictures of the 521 overlook somewhere? Is it event space only or will there also be tickets for games to watch from there?

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

What's behind the glass?

Answered in the first post of the thread. And other links on the first page

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Were the white circle background removed from the retired numbers recently?

Yes they were. Over the winter.

 

[54thMA]

This is the future. It's happening. In fact, it's not even the future. This is like 2018. I've done two week trips to Europe without needing a single Euro. I can't remember my last cash transaction. I have a stack of ones and fives that I can use when I have to have a valet situation or a housekeeping tip, which annoys the shit out of me.

This made me laugh.

Because it's true.

I carry 20.00 with me just in case; I honestly cannot remember the last cash transaction I made, so convenient to pay through other platforms, cash has become a dinosaur.

This is the future is right.

 

[Bowhemian]

This made me laugh.

Because it's true.

I carry 20.00 with me just in case; I honestly cannot remember the last cash transaction I made, so convenient to pay through other platforms, cash has become a dinosaur.

This is the future is right.

It's very true. I put $200 cash in my wallet for a vacation in late February. 6 weeks later, I still have $80 left.

 

[54thMA]

It's very true. I put $200 cash in my wallet for a vacation in late February. 6 weeks later, I still have $80 left.

As I told another member here, I've got an 81 year old customer from Worcester who has a flip phone and likes to go to a few games a year................I can just imagine his reaction to this.

 

[Ale Xander]

As I told another member here, I've got an 81 year old customer from Worcester who has a flip phone and likes to go to a few games a year................I can just imagine his reaction to this.

"I'd rather walk to Woosox?"

 

[Max Power]

As I told another member here, I've got an 81 year old customer from Worcester who has a flip phone and likes to go to a few games a year................I can just imagine his reaction to this.

How does he go to the games? The elimination of paper tickets is another thing that was presented as a pandemic measure, but was made permanent because they wanted to do it anyway.

It doesn't bother me very much, but it's kind of disappointing as a season ticket holder not to get the FedEx envelope with the sheets of tickets on paper. And the World Series stubs were big and great collectibles. The Red Sox offered to print out commemorative ones for anyone who wants them and I'll take them up on that the next time the team makes it.

 

[Ale Xander]

The Red Sox offered to print out commemorative ones for anyone who wants them and I'll take them up on that the next time the team makes it.

Is this for STH only I assume?
I'd pay or give to Jimmy Fund if I would get that option a single game buyer too for the privilege.

 

[Max Power]

Is this for STH only I assume?
I'd pay or give to Jimmy Fund if I would get that option a single game buyer too for the privilege.

I think so. I got the info from my account rep and I think it was linked off the STH portal.

 

[cornwalls@6]

My barber's POS system used to let me pay for the cut, and tip, in one, usually, Apple Pay, transaction. For some reason that changed, and the tip now has to be cash. That, and my favorite local dive bruins bar being cash only, are pretty much the only time I use it anymore.

 

[jayhoz]

My barber's POS system used to let me pay for the cut, and tip, in one, usually, Apple Pay, transaction. For some reason that changed, and the tip now has to be cash. That, and my favorite local dive bruins bar being cash only, are pretty much the only time I use it anymore.

My barbershop is the same. I've also put off getting a car wash many times because I don't have any cash to tip the HS kids towel drying the cars.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

My barber's POS system used to let me pay for the cut, and tip, in one, usually, Apple Pay, transaction. For some reason that changed, and the tip now has to be cash. That, and my favorite local dive bruins bar being cash only, are pretty much the only time I use it anymore.

I suspect your barber changed a setting so he could keep tips off his books. Or he didn't want to pay transaction fees on tips anymore. Either way, it's not the system that changed.

 

[cornwalls@6]

I suspect your barber changed a setting so he could keep tips off his books. Or he didn't want to pay transaction fees on tips anymore. Either way, it's not the system that changed.

Now that you mention it, he did say something to me once about transaction fees being significantly higher the old way he was doing it.

 

[bibajesus]

Not

How often do system outages occur?

Not Fenway, but I got stuck in the TD Garden parking lot for an hour because the card machines went down and they wouldn't let anyone leave.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Not
Not Fenway, but I got stuck in the TD Garden parking lot for an hour because the card machines went down and they wouldn't let anyone leave.

I had this happen once somewhere after a concert. They eventually avoided a riot by just opening the barriers.

 

[54thMA]

How does he go to the games? The elimination of paper tickets is another thing that was presented as a pandemic measure, but was made permanent because they wanted to do it anyway.

It doesn't bother me very much, but it's kind of disappointing as a season ticket holder not to get the FedEx envelope with the sheets of tickets on paper. And the World Series stubs were big and great collectibles. The Red Sox offered to print out commemorative ones for anyone who wants them and I'll take them up on that the next time the team makes it.

No games for him the past two years, he mentioned he's planning on going to a few this year.

Or not.

I've got an older friend who has a flip phone too; he has 10 of the same model at his house, when one craps out, he takes out the card, pops it into the new one and off he goes.

I've told him 9,000 times IPhones make your life much easier, plus there are certain things that you cannot do without one.

In one ear (his good ear) and out the other.

Like Kramer when he came off strike at the bagel store and was floored they now put raisins into bagels "What will they think of next?"

 

[AlNipper49]

I can't remember what ballpark I went to a couple of years ago but it was really slick. I think it was Oracle. They had an app where you could see all the concession stands in a particular area and you could order from your phone and you got a text when it was ready. Then you just picked up your stuff. If it was beer there was a guy there to look at your license. Everything was cashless and it looked like season ticket holders had cards that they just passed down to the concession guy and they would yell out a tip and they could get receipts that showed their balance. They had signs pointing to ATM machines where you could put cash in and it would give you a card you could use.

The Greenville Drive just have an app. A high school kid or whatever drops off your order a few minutes later. It’s so damn easy and I have zero idea why people still wait in the lines unless they’re using cash, but I think the simple answer is that some folks are just conditioned to doing it that way.

Pro tip for those visiting - Thursdays are dollar beer night. The catch is that they really have only one line that can get over run. If you use the app you can get dollar beers delivered to your seat, circumventing the artificial swim lanes in place. I’ll order 20 at a clip and hand them out to people around me just because I can. It’s awesome. It also gets around the two beer limit when going to the beer stand in person.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Not
Not Fenway, but I got stuck in the TD Garden parking lot for an hour because the card machines went down and they wouldn't let anyone leave.

I think that happened at the Back Bay Hilton after the SoSH Bash at the 2005 BBWAA dinner where we all got to be handsy with the trophy

 

[Marceline]

The Greenville Drive just have an app. A high school kid or whatever drops off your order a few minutes later. It’s so damn easy and I have zero idea why people still wait in the lines unless they’re using cash, but I think the simple answer is that some folks are just conditioned to doing it that way.

Pro tip for those visiting - Thursdays are dollar beer night. The catch is that they really have only one line that can get over run. If you use the app you can get dollar beers delivered to your seat, circumventing the artificial swim lanes in place. I’ll order 20 at a clip and hand them out to people around me just because I can. It’s awesome. It also gets around the two beer limit when going to the beer stand in person.

You can order 20 beers at a time? I definitely need to go to a game there.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

You can order 20 beers at a time? I definitely need to go to a game there.

Not you, Joe Sixpack.

 

[nolasoxfan]

Who the f*** puts Thousand Island dressing on a burger?!

 

[CarolinaBeerGuy]

Who the f*** puts Thousand Island dressing on a burger?!

McDonald’s

 

[nolasoxfan]

McDonald’s

Checkmate in one move. Nice. Play again?

 

[SumnerH]

How does he go to the games? The elimination of paper tickets is another thing that was presented as a pandemic measure, but was made permanent because they wanted to do it anyway.

It doesn't bother me very much, but it's kind of disappointing as a season ticket holder not to get the FedEx envelope with the sheets of tickets on paper. And the World Series stubs were big and great collectibles. The Red Sox offered to print out commemorative ones for anyone who wants them and I'll take them up on that the next time the team makes it.

My aforementioned luddite sister goes to lots of shows. Most places there's an option to print a QR code that you're emailed.

 

[Jungleland]

As a former vendor I think this probably sucks for in seat vending. They started a pilot of the card machines around when I quit and people didn’t like using them from what I remember. I have to imagine this is gonna be miserable in the bleachers where the rows are long. On the other hand, depending on what the machines are programmed for as far as tip screen, it might work out better. You definitely weren’t averaging a buck tip a sale on anything less than a hot dog, and even then probably not.

 

[Sin Duda]

Here's your solution:

 

[Ale Xander]

That studio does look nice

 

[joe dokes]

View attachment 50859

First reaction... I think it looks good. Curious how it will impact wind patterns within the park.

Also, RIP Dunkin Dugout.

Any chance sun reflecting off the windows blinds a hitter? Unlike a hitters background, which is really only concerned with where the ball "comes out of," a blinding light even peripherally would seem to be problematic. I'm thinking of those times in the year when RF is the sun field--long day games, late afternoon starts, or early in night games in certain parts of the year.
Any glaziers around?

 

[cannonball 1729]

Here's your solution:

View attachment 50877

Uh oh - Mastercards begin with a 5. SoSH is going to get bounced....

 

[Senator Donut]

Uh oh - Mastercards begin with a 5. SoSH is going to get bounced....

Also, the check digit is incorrect

 

[mauf]

Vendors in the stands are still accepting cash.

 

[mauf]

They also take cash at the bar at the Bullpen Kitchen & Tap on Jersey Street.

Edit: forgot about the name change.

 

[Max Power]

Vendors are now wearing buttons with prices that don't include tax. Hot dogs went from $5.75 last year to $6.75 this year, even though the advertised price is $6.25. They clearly planned to sneak in the extra tax price hike by making everyone use their cards and not look at the machine.