MUNICH: Bundesliga defending champions Bayern Munich announced on Tuesday a new partnership with Apple Pay that will cement its home venue, Allianz Arena as the technological leader and innovation driver among soccer stadiums around the world.
As part of the agreement, Bayern fans will be the first in the world to use their Apple Watch or iPhone (Version 6 or higher, iOS 11 oer higher) for Apple Pay, which is a state-of-the-art form of payment, at all kiosks and in the fan shops amounting to 250 payment terminals in the Allianz Arena beginning with the next home game (against Leipzig on 19 December).
To take advantage of these convenient services, users need only hold the top edge of their Apple device to the payment terminal – no PIN required, authorised users are verified via Face ID or Touch ID, or by double-clicking on the Apple Watch.
“We are very proud to offer this forward-looking payment option using cell phones in the Allianz Arena in conjunction with our partner Apple,” Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.
“Continuous modernization and innovation are a hallmark of FC Bayern München. We are continually investing in new technologies to keep the Allianz Arena current with the state of the art.”
Visitors to the Allianz Arena will no longer be required to have an Arena Card; the stadium is opening its payment system to all debit and credit cards. Newer-generation cards that support data exchange via near-field communication (NFC) can also be used for contactless payment.
The card can simply be held within a few inches of the payment terminal, and the amount is automatically charged to the card. Alternatively, the card can also be inserted into the terminal.
“Even in our 14th year of operating the Allianz Arena, we continue to improve the stadium. User-friendliness is very important to us. I am therefore particularly excited that we can offer an even more effective payment service—and that at the request of our visitors,” Allianz Arena MD Jürgen Muth said.
Mobile snack and drink vendors, who service visitors directly in their seats, will also be able to accept NFC payment in the next year. All scanners at the turnstiles have been equipped with the latest NFC technology in cooperation with the technical supplier SKIDATA.
The added cash-free payment systems were successfully tested during recent home games. Customers are, however, asked to understand that payment processes may occasionally be delayed as a result of system limitations.
“Our goal is to process ticketing using only digital technology so that in the future we can phase out paper tickets entirely. In addition to maximizing user-friendliness, this step represents a valuable contribution to environmental protection and is thus a further measure in our sustainability strategy,” Rummenigge signed off.
