Manuka Oval will use revolutionary pedestal ticket scanners for its summer of cricket to eliminate physical interaction between patrons and venue staff, a system likely to be employed at Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies matches next year.
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The ACT Government has purchased eight of the portable devices which allow spectators safer passage into sporting venues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, while also speeding up the processing of each entrant.
Venues Canberra chief Matthew Elkins said the new devices roughly doubled the speed of fans entering Manuka Oval for the two internationals between Australia and India last week.
Similar self-standing pedestal devices have been used throughout the severely COVID-hit USA during this year's ongoing NFL season, during which some teams have allowed limited spectator capacity.
"COVID's really made us make some decisions and think around how we can drive change at our venues," Elkins said.
"There's probably been a few changes that patrons haven't loved such as no bags but it's all been focused on how can we create an environment that doesn't have patrons and staff interacting where they don't need to.
"It's something we've been contemplating for a little while now. With COVID we really sat down and did our planning and brought it forward.
"It was an opportunity to do two things - eliminate that interaction of staff with patrons and also to move people through quicker. It's a great outcome from a COVID point of view but also as an experience as well."
Prior to the pedestal devices patrons would enter electronically through a handheld scanner, which meant close contact with a member of venue staff.
People are now able to scan themselves in, although they will still be subject to a socially-distant security check.
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This used to be done at close quarters, but security staff now use wands attached to sticks which allows for more ease of social distancing.
"We'll maintain staff there to assist, with phone tickets it's always reminding people to turn the brightness up on their phone, have their ticket downloaded," Elkins said.
"What we're removing is the need for a staff member to be standing there with a hand scanner and interacting directly with a person."
Elkins said the pedestal scanners would be used at Canberra Stadium next season.
"Quite often when we know we've got a bigger crowd coming in we'll set up temporary gates to get the crowd in faster," Elkins said.
"We'll definitely be using them when we set up those temporary gates for the very same reason, it's really good experience for people upon entry and we'll be able to set up that [safe] environment.
"Here's hoping COVID will have left us by then."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
