I saw firsthand how the new $2 billion Intuit Dome, home to the Los Angeles Clippers, is by far one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the country.
Visitors attending the arena, one block away from SoFi Stadium, leave behind traditional tickets, cash and credit cards — as all you need is your face to enter and pay for goods.
The tech advancements should come as no surprise as the NBA franchise’s owner, former Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, sought to house his team in a tech-savvy sports and music venue.
The fan experience at Intuit Dome, which opened last summer, is a far cry from that of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, where the Clippers first played after relocating from San Diego in 1984.
Back then, paper tickets were needed to pass through the arena’s turnstiles and cash was king for anyone paying for hot dogs and nachos.
Forty years later, Ballmer, the Clippers owner since 2014, has realized his vision for a tech-centric arena. The Intuit Dome, two blocks from the Kia Forum—the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers—reflects Ballmer’s background in technology and dedication to innovation.
I experienced the frictionless technology when attending the Nov. 9 Clippers game. Quite a bit of leg work went into buying the tickets and setting up my profile using facial recognition technology.
Here’s how it works:
Seamless Entry Through Facial Recognition
The journey began with downloading the Intuit Dome app, which required a selfie, credit card information and the names of the four other members in my party. This data enables the app to track and seamlessly facilitate my time near and inside the arena.
Members of my party were advised to download the app as well, allowing them to upload their selfies and access their digital tickets.
At the stadium, an entry terminal scanned my face, matching it to the only selfie I uploaded. A green light signaled that I was clear to enter. My ticket was verified by my face alone.
Hands-Free Concessions and Merchandise Shopping
Want a snack or drink before or during the game? Head to a concession area equipped with a gated entry and facial recognition terminal.
After scanning my face, a gate opened, and I could choose from self-serve trays stocked with various foods. Pick and Roll, one of the vendors, offers typical stadium fare like hot dogs, chicken fingers and cheeseburgers.
I picked up a hot dog in a box and as soon as I opened it, my credit card was charged.
Alternatively, if I chose an item and exited the area, the app would charge you as you leave, like Amazon Go’s checkout-free technology.
At no point did I interact with a human. I didn’t need cash or a credit card.
A notification on the Intuit Dome app confirmed my purchase.
Purchasing Clippers merchandise follows the same process.
Still, there’s been some reported glitches along the way. Thousands of Bruno Mars fans were reportedly delayed from entering the facility in August after the facial recognition system didn’t work properly.
I didn’t experience any glitch.
However, my friends and I discussed how freaky it was to know our every movement could be tracked inside the arena.
A Technological Leap Beyond Crypto.com Arena
No one attending a Clippers game at the old Sports Arena, including myself, could have ever imagined such technology arriving in their lifetimes.
The city of Anaheim, which wooed the Clippers to play at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (now the Honda Center) in the late 1990s, probably couldn’t conceive of offering the team, and then owner Donald Sterling, such technology.
Even Crypto.com Arena, the Clippers’ home from 1999 to 2024, feels outdated when compared to the new Intuit Dome.
Oh, by the way, the Clippers beat the Toronto Raptors.
