Debunking 5 Common Myths About Digital Ticketing
In this digital age where everything seems to be going online, even buying tickets to an event is getting a high-tech makeover. But here’s the thing: despite all the perks and benefits, there are some myths and misconceptions about going fully cashless. Let’s bust five of these myths to set the record straight and show why diving into new tech is the real deal. Myth 1: Digital Tickets Are Less Secure Than Physical Tickets One of the most prevalent myths about digital ticketing is that it’s less secure than traditional paper tickets. In reality, digital ticketing platforms look at implementing advanced security measures such as encrypted barcodes and authentication protocols to prevent fraud and counterfeiting. HomeTown ensures the integrity of digital tickets with industry leading security accreditations, providing both organizers and attendees with peace of mind that school and fan personal and financial information is safe and secure. Additionally, physical tickets cannot provide any sense of authenticity without a receipt so people have the ability to replicate or duplicate tickets causing a potential security risk for schools and events. Myth 2: Digital Tickets Are Complicated and Inconvenient Contrary to what some believe, digital ticketing is designed to simplify the ticketing process for both organizers and attendees. With simple, user-friendly interfaces and intuitive mobile apps, purchasing and managing digital tickets has never been easier. Once a fan purchases a ticket online, they have a wealth of options for accessing their ticket from their email or within the fan app. Unlike physical tickets, once it’s lost or destroyed there is no proof of the purchase, which could be frustrating to deal with when trying to get into an event. Digitization allows schools and event organizers to leverage HomeTown’s digital platform, offering seamless navigation and real-time updates, ensuring a hassle-free experience for all users. Myth 3: Digital Tickets Require Expensive Technology Some may assume that implementing digital ticketing requires expensive technology and infrastructure, however, HomeTown offers scalable solutions that are accessible to organizations of all sizes. You don’t need expensive equipment to run your events, although available, you can simply check in fans and spectators with the HomeTown app! With the HomeTown app, you can keep it simple – just check in your students and spectators hassle-free. Fast scanning, self-check-in features – you name it. You can manage your events with a lean team of staff and volunteers to get people in and out efficiently. Whether it’s a small community event or a large-scale game, digital ticketing can be tailored to meet the specific needs and budget of each client. Myth 4: Digital Tickets Exclude Certain Demographics A big misconception is that digital ticketing alienates less tech-savvy demographics who might be more accustomed to traditional purchase methods. While it’s true that digital platforms rely on cutting edge technology, HomeTown created an extremely simple & easy platform that anyone can use. The simple layout makes event management super fast and easy for gate agents, while event goers can buy a ticket in seconds, access their tickets with a few taps, or even print them out and bring them to the game. No matter who is attending, HomeTown has made their digital ticketing accessible to anyone and ensures that everyone can access and enjoy their events. Myth 5: Digital Ticketing Only Allows For Digital Payments And Completely Replaces Cash Payments Finally, it’s natural to think that the shift to a digital ticketing solution limits you to only offering tickets online. In fact, HomeTown is designed to be a complimentary offering alongside traditional payment methods. This empowers schools to offer their students and attendees alternative purchase options that are most comfortable and convenient for them. Ticket purchasers can buy online or through the app, or if they can choose to pay cash through the school’s predetermined process, HomeTown enables every option for attendees and easily keeps track of all the revenue for the event – regardless of how the ticket was purchased. By debunking these myths, HomeTown is paving the way for a smoother transition to digital platforms for school and athletics leaders. From enhanced security and convenience, to cost savings and enhancing the fan experience, digital ticketing offers a myriad of benefits for both organizers and attendees. By embracing this innovative technology, HomeTown can help you stay ahead of the curve while delivering exceptional experiences for all.
Understanding the Differences Between Digital Ticketing and Digital Payments
Two key components of digital transformation in events management are digital ticketing and digital payments. While they may sound similar, each serves a distinct purpose in streamlining event operations and enhancing attendee experiences. Let’s delve into the differences between digital ticketing and digital payments to better understand their respective roles. Digital Ticketing: Facilitating Seamless Access and Management Digital ticketing refers to the process of issuing and managing tickets for events through digital platforms. This encompasses everything from ticket purchase and distribution to admission control and attendee engagement. The primary focus of digital ticketing is to provide attendees with a convenient and hassle-free way to access events while offering organizers valuable insights and control over ticket inventory. Key Features of Digital Ticketing: Convenience: Attendees can purchase tickets online, receive them digitally via email or mobile app, and present them for admission at the event venue. This eliminates the need for physical tickets and allows for easy access using smartphones or electronic devices. In addition to selling tickets, some solutions provide their own Point of Sale devices to assist in selling and taking cash payments at the gate, sell concessions, scanning printed at home tickets, and more. Customization: Digital ticketing platforms offer organizers the flexibility to customize ticket types, pricing tiers, and seating arrangements to meet the specific needs of their events. This customization enhances the attendee experience and maximizes revenue potential. Security: Advanced security measures such as unique QR codes, encryption, and authentication protocols help prevent fraud and counterfeiting, ensuring that only valid tickets are admitted into the event. With digital tickets it is immensely helpful to be able to keep track of who is in attendance at events at all times. Data Insights: Digital ticketing generates valuable data insights, including attendee demographics, purchasing behavior, and ticket sales trends. Organizers can leverage this data to optimize marketing strategies, improve event planning, and enhance overall attendee satisfaction. Digital Payments: Streamlining Transaction Processes Digital payments involve the electronic transfer of funds between buyers and sellers for goods or services. In the context of events, digital payments facilitate ticket purchases, merchandise sales, and concessions transactions, providing a seamless and efficient payment experience for attendees and organizers alike. This may look like the digital ticketing platform is taking payments, but actually they partner with digital payment companies that process the payments in the background. Key Features of Digital Payments: Convenience: Attendees can securely pay for tickets, merchandise, and concessions using various digital payment methods, including credit/debit cards, gift cards, mobile wallets, peer-to-peer payment platforms, and more. This eliminates the need for cash transactions and speeds up the checkout process. Flexibility: Digital payments offer attendees the flexibility to choose their preferred payment method and complete transactions quickly and securely. Whether it’s tapping a contactless card or scanning a QR code, or one tap online payments, digital payment options cater to diverse preferences and technologies. Integrated: Digital payment systems seamlessly integrate with event management platforms, ticketing systems, and point-of-sale (POS) devices, allowing for real-time transaction processing and data synchronization. This integration streamlines backend operations and enhances the overall efficiency of event management processes. It’s so seamless that it makes it look like Security: Robust security measures such as encryption, tokenization, and fraud detection protocols safeguard sensitive payment information and protect against unauthorized access or fraudulent activities. This instills confidence in attendees and ensures the integrity of digital payment transactions. While digital ticketing and digital payments serve distinct purposes within the event ecosystem, they both play integral roles in enhancing attendee experiences. Whether it’s simplifying ticket purchases or facilitating seamless transactions, embracing digital ticketing and digital payments is essential for staying competitive and meeting the evolving needs of today’s tech-savvy audiences.
HomeTown Spotlight | May: Medina High School
HOMETOWN SPOTLIGHT I MAY 2024 School: Medina High School Assistant Athletic Director: Mason Harper HomeTown is excited to announce May’s spotlight, Mason Harper and Medina High School. ABOUT MASON Mason Harper has been an assistant athletic administrator for 5 years going on 6 years at Medina High School in Ohio. He’s been working in athletics for a total of 10 years passionately helping students to grow and develop through sports and athletics. Athletics has had a positive impact on Mason’s life growing up and so it is what drives him to give back to the community in the same way. Mason believes there’s so much students can learn in addition to the classroom on the field and being on a team. Mason has coached football for 4 years and baseball for 1 year. HOW MEDINA HIGH SCHOOL USES HOMETOWN Medina was in need of a digital ticketing solution to replace handling cash for events, while looking for a convenient solution for their fans and spectators. Medina uses HomeTown to sell tickets for all of their school events from athletics, performing arts, band shows, and dances. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HOMETOWN? “I really like how simple and easy it is. It’s very user friendly. We’ve also built great relationships with our Client Success Managers, they’ve been great and really easy to get a hold of when we need them.” – Mason Harper, Assistant Athletic Director BIGGEST TIME SAVER Mason loves encouraging people to get their tickets ahead of time. Friday nights get crazy. The very first football game is crazy and the convenience to set up two separate lines for those who already have their tickets and those that want or need to buy at the gate. Buying online helps them to streamline their check in process and create a better experience for their fans. GET STARTED WITH HOMETOWN
Unlock the Power of Community Engagement with HomeTown
Wondering how to stay connected with your community? HomeTown can help! The HomeTown platform makes it easy to create and customize all types of events for your local community, and makes it easy for everyone to participate. The possibilities are endless: athletic event admission, community fine arts performances, summer camps, and more! HomeTown clients are utilizing our easy-to-use platform for more types of events than ever before. Spread the Word With HomeTown Social Media powered by BoxOut, you can easily integrate events from your HomeTown Box Office to create captivating graphics and social media posts for your community events. Reach your audience, Increase ticket sales, save time, and excite your community with just a few clicks. Increase community engagement by generating excitement on social media and promoting your event Use the Campaigns feature to effortlessly create social media posts Increase revenue for your programs by advertising ticket sales earlier and more consistently Track Ticket Sales You can easily predict event attendance using HomeTown’s real-time ticket reports. This crucial step in managing your event can help everyone be well prepared for event day. If you know how many guests to expect. From smaller and more intimate events to game day, you and your team can ramp up event staff and supplies to be ready to provide a smooth and memorable experience. Community involvement and keeping engaged with your audiences is so important in maintaining consistent ticket sales and event attendance. Schedule a call to see how HomeTown is here to help you create and manage events that will bring everyone together! BOOK A MEETING
A Day in the Life of an AD: Game Time
A Day in the Life of an AD: Game Time! As we continue our “A Day in the Life of an AD” blog series, we finally make it to the evening, when an AD’s job really gets going. GAME TIME! 3:00 PM: Coaches Sprint Many coaches will want to see the athletic director at this time. Coaches who also teach during the day just finished school and now must run off to practice or a game. There is a short window in between when school ends and the campus must be cleared from students for a coach to meet quickly with the AD. Sometimes, it is just a quick handing in of some paperwork or a heads up on a recently discussed issue. However, it could be much larger, like a situation that occurred throughout the day or a transportation issue. With whatever it is, this is an important part of the day for an AD to be available for their coach. This is a common face to face time for coaches and ADs. 4:00PM: Wrap Up This is when it will start to get quieter in the office of a high school. A perfect time for the athletic director to wrap tasks that need to be completed that day, follow up on their emails, or call parents back. This is usually a very busy time, because the AD is trying to cram a lot of work into this time period- which is going to be one of their longest uninterrupted time throughout the day. 5:00PM: Decisions, Decisions This time of the day is really dictated by a couple of variables. Are there games that night? Which sports? Which levels? What are the game times? What’s the location of the game? Based on start times and locations, maybe you can use this time to run somewhere and get dinner. Maybe you choose to stay in your office and get some more work done. Maybe you have to head out to a field. 5:30PM: GAME TIME! If the start time is 5:30 for a JV game, gates need to be open 30 minutes prior to the start, so the above was already decided for you. During this time, the AD interacts with parents, students, boosters, and community members. But it doesn’t stop there. It is important to meet and greet the officials when they arrive, as well as the visiting team. From this time on, it’s the AD’s responsibility to make sure there is sufficient support, ensure smooth operations, monitor the crowd, and address any issues that may arise. It is essential to be on extra alert in between games. There are more moving parts and people during these times, and gates may become busier. 7:30PM: Latest Start Time This is one of the latest start times for games. At this point, all of the games for the evening should have been started, and the first game crowd should have exited and this games’ fans should be settled. During this time, it is a great idea to keep track of what your attendance looks like. It is also a best practice to take notes during the game. You are likely going to need to remember specifics or have reminders of items that need to be addressed the next day, so recording important points this evening will make it easier tomorrow for the AD. 10:00PM: Closing Time If the game tonight wasn’t football, then the event is most likely over and the AD has either cleared the area or is currently working on that. All students must be picked up prior to the athletic director leaving to make sure everyone left safely and there are no issues. Unfortunately, this means the AD cannot necessarily leave after the event clean up has been completed. If a student has not been picked up yet, the AD cannot leave. 10:30PM: Home On a good night, the AD is hopefully home by now. But showering and unwinding are still necessary, and that alarm goes off early. Check out the first blog in this series: Good Morning as a reminder of just how early. In this series, we have briefly gone through an athletic director’s day, and it took three blog posts to do it. HomeTown appreciates all of the work ADs do in their long days, and we are happy to be a part of making some of their tasks easier. If you are interested in how HomeTown can do that for you, please reach out to us for more information, we’d love to help! BOOK A MEETING
HomeTown Spotlight | April: Minneapolis Public Schools
HOMETOWN SPOTLIGHT I APRIL 2024 School: Minneapolis Public Schools District Athletic Director: Antony Fisher HomeTown is excited to announce April’s spotlight, Antony Fisher and Minneapolis Public Schools. ABOUT ANTONY Antony Fisher has been an athletic administrator for 17 years in 3 different states. He’s been the District Athletic Director at Minneapolis Public Schools for the past 6 years. Antony’s goal to have the greatest impact on the largest number of students motivated him throughout his career and led him to where he is today. In addition, Antony has had the honor of serving on the NIAAA Board of Directors and co-founding the National Organization of Minority Athletic Directors (NOMAD), as well as state committee and panels. HOW MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS USES HOMETOWN The district was in need of a digital ticketing solution to eliminate handling of cash, while creating a proactive solution for fans who wanted to purchase tickets in advance. This led Minneapolis Public Schools to start using HomeTown in 2020. “We use the platform to provide equitable options for all our MPS families. In some instances, our families have a preference to pay by using cash, and we are certainly okay with that. In other instances, our families would prefer to pay ahead of time by using their credit card, and HomeTown Ticketing allows us to provide our families with a payment option that works best for that particular family.” – Antony Fisher, District Athletic Director WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HOMETOWN? “What I like most is the fact that utilization of the HomeTown Ticketing platform allows us to have a pulse on who’s attending our athletic contests and who is in our athletic venues at a particular point in time.” – Antony Fisher, District Athletic Director Also, the customer service! “Above all the wonderful bells and whistles that the HomeTown Ticketing platform offers, the customer service is top notch. HomeTown goes above and beyond to ensure that your experience with the HomeTown Ticketing product matches and/or exceeds your expectations. I can truly say that HomeTown Ticketing has met our needs here in Minneapolis and I would highly encourage anyone who is not currently utilizing HomeTown Ticketing to at minimum look into their product offering immediately.” – Antony Fisher, District Athletic Director BIGGEST TIME SAVER Minneapolis Public Schools loves HomeTown’s reporting! The reports are so efficient and a way for school based athletic directors to rectify their expense reports immediately. A time saver for not only athletic directors, but bookkeepers as well! About Minneapolis Public Schools Minneapolis Public Schools has 10 high schools and 10 middle schools. The school district serves approximately 29,000 students in Minnesota. GET STARTED WITH HOMETOWN
Maximizing High School Athletic Programs with Digital Ticketing & Online Fundraising: Time-saving techniques to get your athletic teams ready for the season
In the bustling world of high school athletics, success isn’t just about the scores on the board. It’s also about ensuring there are ample resources to back up our teams, from top-notch equipment to well-maintained facilities, and ample opportunities for student-athletes. Fundraising plays a pivotal role in making this happen. For Athletic Directors and Assistant Athletic Directors across districts, securing financial support is both a constant challenge and a vital necessity. Luckily, in today’s digital era, tapping into the potential of online fundraising and digital ticketing presents unparalleled opportunities to strengthen athletic programs and school districts alike. The Fundamentals of Fundraising Traditional fundraising methods like car washes and bake sales have long been go-to tactics for supporting high school athletic programs. While effective, they often demand significant time and resources, with returns that might not always meet expectations. Plus, they tend to be one-off events, putting pressure on coaches and athletes to raise funds within tight timelines. But the shift to online fundraising changes the game. Here’s why: 1. Accessibility and Reach Online fundraising offers unparalleled accessibility. With just a few clicks, supporters can contribute from anywhere, anytime, breaking free from the constraints of physical location and time zones. This broad reach extends well beyond the local community, tapping into alumni networks, friends, and family scattered across the country, all keen on the success of the program. 2. Cost-Efficiency Unlike traditional methods that may incur expenses for materials or permits, online fundraising platforms typically operate with minimal overhead costs. This means more of the funds raised can directly benefit athletic programs, whether it’s buying new gear, covering travel expenses, or maintaining facilities. With platforms like HomeTown + Schoolfundr, schools don’t have to worry about losing a chunk of their funds in transaction fees. All the money raised goes straight back to the programs, minus standard credit card processing fees. 3. Transparency and Accountability Digital fundraising platforms provide transparent tracking of donations, fostering trust between donors and the athletic program. Detailed reports and analytics offer insights into donor details and campaign effectiveness, enabling Athletic Directors to refine their strategies for year-round success. The Evolution of Digital Ticketing Digital ticketing isn’t just about facilitating entry to games; it’s about revolutionizing the entire fan experience. Platforms like HomeTown offer a range of benefits, from easy access to events to additional perks like season passes, concessions, and even access to other school activities beyond athletics. 1. Streamlined Operations Forget manual ticket sales; digital ticketing systems streamline the entire process. Tickets can be purchased online, printed at home, or accessed via mobile devices, slashing lines at the gate and reducing administrative hassles for athletic staff. “We don’t have to handle or count as much cash for any of our events. Our direct deposits go immediately from our treasurer’s office, right into our athletic department budgets. HomeTown saves a ton of time for our boosters, too. Now everything is streamlined and our boosters no longer have to manually count checks or cash…” – Wes Elifritz, Athletic Director I Westerville North High School 2. Enhanced Fan Experience Digital tickets mean smoother entry to events, allowing spectators to focus on the game rather than waiting in line. Mobile ticketing offers a seamless experience, with passes scanned directly from smartphones, bypassing the need for physical tickets altogether. 3. Data-Driven Insights Just like with online fundraising, digital ticketing systems provide valuable analytics that inform decision-making. From attendance trends to demographic breakdowns of ticket purchasers, this data helps Athletic Directors tailor marketing efforts and allocate resources effectively. Integration for Maximum Impact The real power lies in combining online fundraising with digital ticketing. Coordinated campaigns, personalized outreach, and continuous engagement amplify the impact, creating a comprehensive approach to supporting athletic programs and school districts. “As an Athletic Director, you have to do what is right for your student-athletes and your high school and by far, HomeTown and Schoolfundr is what is right for our schools and students.“ – Lori DeMarcus, Athletic Director I Hough High School Embracing the Future of Athletic Fundraising In an era defined by technological innovation, embracing online fundraising and digital ticketing is essential for propelling athletic programs to new heights. From expanding fundraising reach to enhancing the fan experience, these tools offer unparalleled opportunities to support athletic endeavors and foster community pride. As we look ahead, let’s harness the full potential of these digital resources to propel your athletic programs towards a future filled with success and achievement. Interested in hearing more about how HomeTown can help you handle all of this and more? Schedule a meeting to get started. BOOK A MEETING Written by: Nick Mirisis, CEO
Women In Athletics Timeline
It’s Women’s History month and we want to recognize the achievements made in an area very dear to us, athletics. Walk through a brief timeline with us, as we highlight the success of women’s athletics. There have been many women who have contributed along this storied path, and we hope you take a moment to read about this empowering topic and join us in supporting women in athletics everywhere. A special thank you to all of our female athletic directors and all to all those who promote gender equality and support female high school student-athletes.
HomeTown Spotlight | March: Westerville North High School
HOMETOWN SPOTLIGHT I MARCH 2024 School: Westerville North High School District Athletic Director: Wes Elifritz This month HomeTown is excited to spotlight Westerville North High School Athletic Director, Wes Elifrtiz, in recognition of how he has been using HomeTown to support the needs of his school and athletic program. Wes has been with the district for 8 years and has been using HomeTown since the fall of 2020 for everything from single game tickets and season passes to youth camp registration. Wes is truly an asset to Westerville North High School and we are excited to recognize him this month. Watch the full spotlight https://vimeo.com/924592366?share=copy
A Day in the Life of an AD: Afternoon Sprint
A Day in the Life of an AD: Afternoon Sprint As we continue on in our “A Day in the Life of an AD” blog series, we will jump right in where we left off, it’s lunch time! AFTERNOON SPRINT 11:00 AM: School Lunches This is a perfect opportunity to interact with students; chat with student-athletes about the game last night or check in on how a student is feeling about their grades. Connecting with students is the best part about being an Athletic Director, and any extra time with students can be used to build relationships and a sense of community at your school. If you need to make any phone calls this may be an ideal time as well since you are away from your desk. Cue multitasking. The next part of the day is where things start picking up quickly. Coaches, students, and teachers will ask questions. There will be constant interruptions. This is when multitasking, and staying focused and prioritized become an important skill for ADs. There will be thing that will pop up that need immediate attention, so trying to keep up with the day’s tasks when possible is essential to remain efficient. Also, don’t forget the AD needs to eat too. 12:30 PM: Athletic Director Necessities The AD is just getting back to the office from lunch duty and prioritizing what needs to be completed for the day: Confirm student-athlete eligibility, academic progress, and physicals Check-in with coaches on active or upcoming fundraisers Collaborate with teachers, counselors, and school administrator on high priority items Promote upcoming games and events on social media Secure Officials for weekly games Organize buses and transportation schedules Confirm gates are set to open 1:00 PM: Tonight’s Event Prep It’s time to make sure everything is in place for this evening’s games. Starting your pre-game checklist now will help make your events go smoother later on because you never know what will happen between now and then that pulls the AD attention in a different direction. Get with the bookkeeper to count the bank and sign out the cash box. Or go digital and skip this step entirely. Correct gates/doors are locked/open Flag is ready to be put up Promote games on social media Pre-approved music playlist is set Chairs and tables are in place to be set up Custodians are aware of the night’s schedules and needs 1:30 PM: Athletic Trainer Time About this time, most athletic trainers start their day. Touching base with your athletic trainer is a must to maintain open communication surrounding your student-athletes and their health. Athletic trainers are such an important part of the athletic department. They are an added level of safety for students and it’s vital to make sure they have what they need to be successful. 2:00 PM: Off-Campus Coaches Off-campus coaches will start swinging by the AD’s office trying to get last minute items taken care of before they are off to practices and games. Since these coaches often have day jobs that are off school grounds, making sure they have face to face time with the AD is a priority. These coaches may frequently email, call, and text with the AD to make sure they are following all school policies. Athletic directors usually have two different types of coaches on their staff, on-campus and off-campus coaches. On-campus coaches have access to student grades and frequently see and meet with students throughout the day, off-campus do not have that luxury so sometimes off-campus coaches require more time with the AD. 2:45 PM: School Is Out The bell has rung, and class has been dismissed. Most ADs have another assignment for dismissal or bus duty. After the campus clears, it’s go-time, and the AD’s job really begins… Interested in how HomeTown can make your afternoon easier? Reach out to a HomeTown representative to learn more. BOOK A MEETING Tune back in for our next post: Game Time…
