MLB Passbook Tickets A Huge Success, Paving The Way For Paper-Free Tickets

Major League Baseball began supporting Passbook with the release of iOS 6 and has seen incredible results. CEO of MLB Advance Media, Bob Bowman, told MarketWatch that in a test run with four teams for the final two weeks of the season, 1,500 e-ticket buyers (12 percent) chose Passbook delivery.

The traditional ticket stub accounted for less than a third of single-game seats sold this past season, down from 55 percent in 2011. With fans increasing desiring digital tickets and passes, this number is expected to drop to less than 10 percent by the next season, especially with the help of Apple’s new Passbook feature.

Bowman said of the Passbook success, “That adoption rate really floored us – there is no question our fans will want digital tickets. Fans can use the tickets, forward them to a friend, resell them, or even donate them to charity – and they never get lost or left at home.”

But a transition to digital tickets doesn’t just benefit fans. Bowman stated that “from a team perspective the biggest advantage is knowing who is at the ballpark, how many times they come, and where they sit.” Apple doesn’t share user data through Passbook, but the information that fans provide through MLB’s iPhone app can be used to create loyalty programs and better targeted marketing campaigns.

Obviously Passbook is becoming quite the success with more and more companies adding support for the digital ticket app, like Starbucks, McDonald’s and a number of airlines.

Source: MarketWatch via 9to5Mac
Image Credit: Cult of Mac

Kaylie lives in Ottawa and got her first Mac in 2007 and is now a fan for life.