Suns moving to digital tickets for 2019-20 NBA season

Your Phoenix Suns may not be ahead of the game when it comes to drafting or free agency or scouting or most basketball related things but starting next season they will welcome the warm embrace of technology when it comes to getting you to your seat at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Beginning next season, you’ll use NFC ticketing to get into the game. Basically you’ll use your smart phone. Support is being provided by Ticketmaster and its new SafeTix service. Suns President and CEO Jason Rowley shared his thoughts in a press release.

“Ticketmaster has been a tremendous partner and we’re excited to continue working with the industry leader to utilize their best-in-class technology to help make it more convenient for fans to buy, sell and share tickets.”

“The transition exclusively to mobile ticketing ensures that we are providing the safest, most secure and fan-friendly ticket experience, while also expediting access into the arena, so fans can get into their seats and in front of the action.”

Now lucky for you, this author has significant experience in a digital ticket-only universe. As a Vegas Golden Knights season ticket holder I have never once provided a paper ticket to enter T-Mobile Arena. It does not diminish my experience in any way. That said, I’m going to tell you the stuff Ticketmaster won’t.

• You’re not going to have cool paper ticket to the game.

So, like, if and when Devin Booker goes for 70 or 80 or 90, or Jimmer Fredette keeps him from 60, you’re not going to have that particular item to commemorate the event. So you’ll have to find something else. I have commemorative tickets bought from the team store for each of the four postseason rounds the Golden Knights participated in during their inaugural season. I suspect you won’t have to worry about Suns postseason swag for awhile.

• You cannot take a screenshot of the QR code.

It refreshes every 30 seconds or so. So if you’re attending the game with someone you can’t send them the tickets that way. They’ll need to be with you. Or you can transfer to them, but they’ll need the ticket app on their phone.

• Your phone has to be charged.

Believe it or not, I’ve seen plenty of people in line at T-Mobile Arena lament that their phone has died prior to entering The Fortress. It’s always the younger crowd. Why do you guys have such a problem keeping your phone charged? Grow up. Charge your damn phone. If this happens they can usually swipe the card you used to buy the tickets to get your in.

Have your ticket pulled up as you’re walking to the arena.

“Oh hang on, I had all this time to pull up the ticket while I was walking up to the arena, but now that I’m here and there’s a line of people behind me let hold everyone up while I get this ticket. Oh shoot, hang on, sometimes this phone gives me trouble and works kind of slow.” Jackass. Hurry up.

There’s going to be a Mobile Wallet feature as well. This will let you pay for parking, concessions, and merchandise through the app.

Read more about it here. Everything should be up and running by October.