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Contactless smart card system to be implemented at Red Bulls stadium
24 Feb 2010

Fans of the New York Red Bulls may find that they experience shorter queuing times at the team's new stadium, thanks to the implementation of a contactless smart card scheme. 

The Major League Soccer side is set to introduce the ticketless system when it moves to a new stadium in March, the New York Times reports. 

Club season ticket holders will be able to use swipe and go technology to gain access to the ground, as well as loading eMoney onto the cards at the Red Bulls' website, which will allow them to make purchases at shops and beverage stands within the stadium.

Erik Stover, the team's Managing Director, says that fans will see considerable benefits from the introduction of this system: "If you look at it from the customer's point of view, there's a lot of convenience - they can enter the facility faster, it speeds up lines and makes it easy to transfer tickets and it's all done online." 

While the New York Red Bulls is the first club in the US to implement the contactless smart card system, Premier League football grounds, such as those of Arsenal and Manchester City, already have similar technology in place. 

The Times recently reported that it is hoped that people in the UK will become so comfortable with contactless payments that the London 2012 Olympic Games will become the first cashless event of its type.