Sporting KC announced on Thursday a new service designed to enhance the fan experience at Sporting Park. Starting at Saturday’s match against the Colorado Rapids, fans with tickets in the Boulevard Members Club will have the ability to order and pay for concessions on their smartphones and then pick up their orders via a fast lane.

The new service, created in partnership with Kansas City-based Lantern Software, is simple. Fans download the Gameday™ app from the App Store or Google Play, choose the items they want and pay with a credit card or PayPal. The app provides an alert when the concessions staff has begun working on the order as well as another once the order is ready. Users will then pick up their order from a separate fast lane to expedite the concession process.

“We’re continuously looking at ways to improve the fan experience at Sporting Park,” said Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman. “Lantern has a proven track record of using micro-location to improve the fan experience at sporting events. We are excited to form a relationship with a local company to provide a service that will greatly benefit our fans.”

"We're excited about forming a partnership with Sporting Kansas City,” said Aaron Sloup, CEO for Lantern Software. “Sporting KC has always been at the cutting edge when it comes to delivering a great fan experience. That aligns well with Lantern's innovative approach to making the gameday experience effortless for fans. Together, there's an opportunity to do some very unique things here in KC."

Gameday™ does something else unique. Fans can place their order outside of the Boulevard Members Club, but with the use of small Bluetooth beacons installed throughout the venue, the concessionaire will not start the order until the fan enters the Boulevard Members Club. Only fans that have a ticket to the Boulevard Members Club for Saturday’s match will have access to pick up orders placed through Gameday™ app.

LANTERN SOFTWARE

Lantern is making game day effortless for fans. Through its Gameday™ app, Lantern eliminates friction points and provides VIP services from the moment fans wake up, through their trip to the venue to the moment they go to bed. At the same time, Gameday™ gives brands unique ways to engage fans and create measurable ROI. The result is a better experience for the fans and ROI for brands and teams.

