AFL launches Just Walk Out technology to tackle queues at Marvel Stadium

 “We’re doing all the building work, all the fit-out, all the things that underpin that, and also the technology that sits around it. Our point-of-sale, our network, all of our infrastructure underpins this technology as well. Amazon is working on the cameras, on the AI, on the work that actually does the processing of transactions and we along with our partners Delaware North and Telstra look after everything outside of that.”

 The most taxing part of the project, according to Pickering, has been the physical building of the new concession stands, which have replaced two existing food and beverage outlets.

“The most challenging thing is the physical store builds, getting these things built to a specification that allows for that seamless transition of people through and out again requires quite a bit of pre-planning… The technology component has been actually really reasonably straightforward. We’ve got really strong foundations of network and infrastructure at Marvel Stadium so when we want to add these layers of guest experience it’s actually pretty straight forward which hasn’t always been the case,” he says.

The past two years building up the robustness of their platforms has enabled much of the work for this project, he adds. “This is one of the first use cases we’ll have that really leverages the full stack of investments we made around the underlying infrastructure of the stadium.”

Speeding up the customer journey

The technology is currently in use at sports venues across the US, including TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, and Climate Pledge Arena, home of NHL team the Seattle Kraken.

 As part of his research into the technology, Pickering went to visit some of the stadiums to see it in action in a live environment.