--State-of-the-art “Near Field Communication” tags will allow fans to earn rewards simply by tapping Season Ticket Holder passes on card readers placed at Kings Team Store and concessions--
SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Feb. 18, 2013 – The Sacramento Kings have partnered with industry innovators Kovio and Proximiant in a groundbreaking effort to enhance the Season Ticket Holder experience at Sleep Train Arena through creative implementation of Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies.
With guidance from Kovio, a leading mobile marketing, advertising and brand development firm, the Kings have issued specially-designed card passes to all Season Ticket Holders. Each pass is embedded with a NFC tag that allows fans to accrue reward points simply by swiping their pass on terminals conveniently placed at the Team Store and concession stands throughout the venue. By partnering with Proximiant, experts in the latest “touch-and-go” advancements, it has never been easier for fans to earn credits on their transactions.
When a Season Ticket Holder Access Card is swiped following a purchase, Cap City Kingdom reward points are automatically added to the user’s account. Fans can save points throughout the season and redeem them for discounts on concessions, additional game tickets, merchandise, and much more.
The team will conduct a round of tests with 20 Season Ticket Holders during the Kings game Tuesday against San Antonio. A comprehensive unveiling of this system involving the entire Season Ticket Holder base is expected soon after a final cycle of testing. Sacramento is currently the only NBA franchise utilizing NFC technology in this fashion.
“We are proud to partner with Kovio and Proximiant, each a pioneering force in developing RFID and NFC technologies,” said John Rinehart, Kings Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “Their innovative capabilities complement the Kings continued desire to provide our Season Ticket Holders with an advanced in-game experience.”
“Kovio is excited to partner with the Sacramento Kings and Proximiant to engage and delight basketball fans with the magic of NFC technology,” said Amir Mashkoori, CEO of Kovio. “Sports teams will use this mobile-optimized technology to engage fans during the game and outside the arena to help increase ticket and merchandise sales while building team loyalty. This rollout also includes an advertising platform for local businesses that connects mobile consumers with relevant offers, drives foot traffic to stores, and builds lasting consumer-brand relationships.”
The Kings will celebrate the advent of this new technology at Sleep Train Arena by randomly distributing 2,500 NFC-activated Isaiah Thomas player cards to fans attending Tuesday’s game against the Spurs. Users can “tap” the card on any NFC-enabled Smartphone and instantly view two exclusive videos. Additionally, each card will provide a 30-percent discount at the Kings Team Store. Pizza Guys is also offering cardholders Cheesy Garlic Bread with an online-order at www.pizzaguys.com.
About Proximiant:
Proximiant is a leader in Touch&Go mobile receipts and targeted CRM. The company's patent-pending technology allows shoppers to get digital receipts beamed directly to their mobile phone without having to provide their email address or phone number. This less-invasive solution has a built-in CRM and mobile marketing platform for retailers to effectively launch loyalty programs, marketing campaigns, new product announcements, customer surveys, daily specials and more. Proximiant easily integrates into existing POS systems in minutes and will drive store traffic (in-store and online), loyalty and sales while improving the shopping experience. For more information, please visit www.proximiant.com.
About Kovio:
Kovio, Inc., a privately held Silicon Valley company with origins in the world renowned MIT Media Lab, designs, develops, and manufactures printed silicon products for Near Field Communication (NFC) and Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) markets, including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and NFC Barcodes. By combining the power and functionality of high-performance silicon inks and low-cost graphics printing technology, Kovio enables its customers and partners to deploy innovative products and solutions in the areas of mobile marketing and advertising, brand authentication, retail operations, and ticketing. For more information about Kovio, visit www.kovio.com.