New England Patriots "Safetix"

Got an interesting email from the team today. Unlike the vast majority of NFL teams, they are still issuing hard copies of tickets (thank you!). But there is no more bar code on the ticket. Instead it will use RFID technology. I guess that RFID thingy will be scanned at the gates much like the bar codes used to be scanned.

How far we've come from the day you gave the guy your ticket, he ripped it in half, and gave you the stub.

No more souvenirs?? That kinda sucks..

I didn't get that email, weird. Oh well probably get it today

PatsWSB47 said:

I didn't get that email, weird. Oh well probably get it today

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Unless the OP got phished.

DarrylS said:

No more souvenirs?? That kinda sucks..

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My interpretation is we still get hard copies of tickets, only each ticket will have one of those RFID chips embedded. So I think we still will have souvenirs....

Trust me when I say most teams have moved to electronic only. The Patriots are in the extreme minority here

Wow, dont go to the massage parlor after the game with your ticket in your pocket.

Expanding the Use of RFID in School Systems - Barcode Printers Scanning for Warehousing Healthcare Mobile Workforce

Convincing the gullible public under the guise that this is a good thing that will keep you safe.

Triumph said:

Convincing the gullible public under the guise that this is a good thing that will keep you safe.

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Just out of curiosity, what exactly is it you are suggesting? The Patriots won't exactly be able to track you wherever you go. I suppose they could implement in-stadium tracking for data analytics and/or marketing purposes, but the only way Bob Kraft will know which massage parlors I visit will be in case I bump into him at one.

PatsWSB47 said:

I didn't get that email, weird. Oh well probably get it today

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I got it a couple of days ago too.

XLIX said:

My interpretation is we still get hard copies of tickets, only each ticket will have one of those RFID chips embedded. So I think we still will have souvenirs....

Trust me when I say most teams have moved to electronic only. The Patriots are in the extreme minority here

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That’s how I understood it too.

Patjew said:

I got it a couple of days ago too.

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Got it yesterday

The whole point of RFID is to track location. It serves almost no other purpose. It's not a very secure format unless its paired with another form of security like an RSA token.

It will be tracked, and it will be used, most likely for not-terribly-sinister purposes like beer vendor placement and concourse design. I mean, at the end of the day, I can tell you that my time at Gillette will involve waiting in line to get in, sitting in my seat, walking back and forth to the beer vendor, waiting in line to pee, waiting in line to buy a pretzel, and then walking back to my car. Somewhere in there, the game should be on.

Darrone said:

The whole point of RFID is to track location. It serves almost no other purpose.

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It serves one very valuable purpose for NE: it eliminates the need for bar codes being physically printed on a ticket, which is a ridiculously non-secure method. Any ticket can be easily counterfeited if you can steal an image of the bar code. Heck, you don’t even need the bar code itself if you can grab the numbers beneath the bar code.

"I'm sorry sir, but our RFID tracking shows you spending more than your allotted time in the bathroom stall"

PatsWickedPissah said:

"I'm sorry sir, but our RFID tracking shows you spending more than your allotted time in the bathroom stall"

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Bring back the trough!!

XLIX said:

Bring back the trough!!

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First time I ever crowd-surfed was at half-time, old Schaeffer Stadium. I was about 7, drank one of those huge Sprites they used to serve. It was obvious I was approaching critical, so the crowd passed me and my Dad's friend's kid (never met him before) all the way to the trough.

XLIX said:

It serves one very valuable purpose for NE: it eliminates the need for bar codes being physically printed on a ticket, which is a ridiculously non-secure method. Any ticket can be easily counterfeited if you can steal an image of the bar code. Heck, you don’t even need the bar code itself if you can grab the numbers beneath the bar code.

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That doesn't really provide a service to NEP. The barcodes are one time use, so only 1 person gets through the door. it may have cause fan issues, but it doesnt cost NEP anything.

Darrone said:

That doesn't really provide a service to NEP. The barcodes are one time use, so only 1 person gets through the door. it may have cause fan issues, but it doesnt cost NEP anything.

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I am sure counterfeiting tickets by using bar codes creates a huge pain in the ass for the team, and certainly leads to a business expense. When a guy with a legit ticket gets turned away at the door, do you think he just meekly turns around and goes home?