Preparing for Fall: Digital Tickets Made Easy For Fans
As the new school year approaches and you’re gearing up for the many busy activities during the fall, ensuring smooth event experiences for fans is critical. With HomeTown we give your fans many convenient options that help with the overall event experience. Event Discovery Finding and promoting school events shouldn’t be a challenge. With our user-friendly fan app, fans and spectators can find events and purchase tickets without having to remember any passwords; it’s all with multi-factor authentication making it fast and easy. They can also go to events.hometown.com where they can search and discover games and events happening in the community and purchase tickets from there. There is no login required to purchase tickets through this site to help make it as smooth as possible. Convenient Payment Options Purchasing tickets should be a breeze. Our platform supports a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the newly introduced ability to pay via Cash App. With seamless payment options, purchasing tickets for school events is quick and hassle-free, ensuring that everyone can participate in the school community with ease. Ease of Accessing Tickets Once tickets are purchased, event goers get their tickets emailed to them, can print out their tickets, store tickets in Google Wallet, Apple Wallet, or get them immediately upon purchase as they are approaching the entrance to the event. With just a few clicks, tickets are securely stored and readily accessible, ensuring a stress-free entry experience for all attendees. Easy Check Ins Once tickets are secured, entering school events should be a seamless process. We have multiple options to make sure that your school is covered and enabled for smooth gate operations. Schools can set up their operations for your typical scanning methods through the app. Additionally, the option for event goers to utilize self check-in can also be toggled on to help streamline operations. If spotty connection is also a problem we have offline scanning capabilities that allows schools to download their attendee list and scan in event goers without internet connectivity. What’s better is if you’re scanning while connected but suddenly your connection drops, offline scanning can be configured to automatically kick in so there won’t be a disruption in operations and refresh once you connect to the internet again. Say goodbye to long lines and cumbersome check-in procedures.
Feature Spotlight: Offline Scanning
Get ready to elevate your event check-in experience for your fans! Hometown is excited to spotlight our Offline Scanning capabilities that helps enable our clients and provide 360 coverage when it comes to scanning in for events. You no longer need to be at the mercy of spotty connectivity or rolling blackouts. Offline scanning is offered as a solution for schools that kicks in if connection is lost ensuring a continued smooth check in, or can be set up as a primary method for checking in fans and spectators. Schools now have the options to provide guests traditional scanning, self check-in, and offline scanning to adapt to any schools’ scanning requirements and gate operations. Efficiency Attendees can be checked in quickly, enhancing overall event efficiency and attendee satisfaction. This is especially crucial during peak check-in times or high-traffic events where there may be network congestion. Say goodbye to long queues and sluggish check-ins. Improved Reliability Offline Scanning eliminates the dependency on network access, reducing the risk of delays or disruptions, and ensuring a smooth check-in experience regardless of external factors. No more worries about internet connectivity issues disrupting your event. Trust in Hometown for a reliable event solution, rain or shine. Enhanced Accessibility This is particularly beneficial in venues with limited connectivity. From stadiums to remote venues, access is no longer limited by internet connectivity. Our Offline Scanning feature ensures that every attendee can be checked in, regardless of location. Flexibility Offline scanning provides flexibility for event organizers to operate in diverse environments, including remote locations or areas with limited network connectivity. Whether it’s a bustling city stadium or a remote countryside field, Hometown has you covered.
HomeTown Spotlight | June: North East Independent School District
HOMETOWN SPOTLIGHT I JUNE 2024 School: North East Independent School District Athletic Director: David Greathouse HomeTown is excited to announce June’s spotlight, David Greathouse and North East Independent School District. ABOUT DAVID David Greathouse has been with North East Independent School District for 33 years in San Antonio, Texas. David comes from a military background growing up where he settled and married in San Antonio and has been there ever since. David started teaching physical sciences in 1991, mostly teaching physics, and coaching wrestling and football as well. In 2018 David became the AD of his district. HOW NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT USES HOMETOWN David was looking to move away from cash and adopt a digital ticketing solution that would make his life much easier and have more accountability. David made the switch during covid to go digital and move away from cash. Now the schools in North East Independent School District enjoy seamless digital ticketing. All the schools use HomeTown to sell tickets for all of their school events from athletics, performing arts, school plays, and aquatics. They host as many events as they can think of that they can use HomeTown for from event tickets, summer camps, physical sign ups, and more. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HOMETOWN? David loves how easy we have made transitioning to digital was for them. They used another digital ticketing platform prior to HomeTown but have been very pleased since. He loves how easy it is to host events and get everything set up that other departments have caught on and used it for their needs. “HomeTown has been so successful in our athletic department that fine and performing arts has their own site for school plays or anything they do for campus, aquatics have their own site, health and PE departments as well.” – David Greathouse, Athletic Director BIGGEST TIME SAVER “Customer service we give is one of your biggest perks. With a school district as big as we are…You guys have simplified your process and made it a lot easier for our patrons” – David Greathouse, Athletic Director David’s favorite part about HomeTown is how easily accessible support is for him. If anything comes up it’s an easy email and the support team or the customer success team takes care of it for him, so he can focus on everything else he’s managing. GET STARTED WITH HOMETOWN
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
Embracing the Future: The Benefits of Digital Ticketing Solutions
Discover the transformative power of digital ticketing solutions in streamlining event management and enhancing attendee experiences. Explore the convenience, flexibility, and security benefits offered by platforms like HomeTown, revolutionizing traditional ticketing practices. Experience seamless event planning, improved operational efficiencies, and cost savings while ensuring a memorable experience for organizers and attendees alike. Convenience is perhaps the most obvious advantage of online ticketing. No longer do fans have to wait in line at the box office or worry about misplaced, forgotten, or discarded tickets. With digital ticketing, tickets are conveniently stored on smartphones or emailed directly to the purchaser, allowing for easy management and access that can be offered alongside cash payments to offer a wider range of payment options for attendees. This means that fans can: Simply present their digital ticket for scanning at the venue entrance Experience a streamlined end to end process from purchasing to checking in, eliminating the hassle of physical tickets. Allows for digital payments to be made and accepted for both the patrons and providers. Moreover, digital ticketing enhances the overall experience for event goers. Attendees can easily purchase tickets online from the comfort of their own homes, or on their mobile device while on the go, reducing the need to physically visit a ticketing booth resulting in lines at venues and a poor start to an event. Digital ticketing platforms can include interactive capabilities such as: Seat selection Real-time event updates The flexibility to modify their reservation or Peer to peer transfer of tickets And much more giving them a more flexible, engaging, and personalized experience. For schools, digital ticketing offers a wealth of benefits such as simplified daily operations and streamlined marketing and communications – making event management a breeze for administrators. The ability to create and manage events in one platform allows for organizers to host their ideal event within a single source. Platform administrators can customize every parameter, from how many tickets sold, the types of tickets available, real-time attendance tracking, event updates, concession offerings, and much more. At HomeTown, we understand that event management goes beyond gate attendance. Premier ticketing platforms like HomeTown, will offer reporting features that offer insight into event attendance, capacity management, purchase histories, and revenue management. These insights provide visibility into critical factors not possible with traditional ticketing methods, helping organizers make more informed decisions regarding event logistics and marketing strategies. Adopting a digital-first event experience can also put you and your staff at ease by helping to mitigate the risk of fraud and counterfeit tickets. With advanced security features such as barcode scanning and digital encryption, organizers can ensure that only valid tickets are admitted into the venue. Protecting the integrity of the event and providing peace of mind to both organizers and attendees alike. By eliminating the need for physical ticket printing and distribution, organizers can significantly reduce overhead costs associated with traditional ticketing methods. The benefits of embracing a digital ticketing solution like HomeTown are abundant. From enhanced conveniences, simplified customer experiences, to improved operational efficiencies and cost savings – digital ticketing offers a multitude of advantages for both organizers and attendees alike. HomeTown positions itself at the forefront of innovation while providing a seamless and memorable experience for all. Ready to get started? Schedule a call to see how HomeTown is here to help you create and manage events that will bring everyone together! BOOK A MEETING
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
