Ballparks Let Fans Order Food From Seats Using Mobile Phones
from the getting-creative dept
While plenty of entertainment venues are doing their best to get people to turn off their mobile phones, baseball stadiums are doing the opposite. Especially in minor league stadiums (often known for their extra-creative promotions to bring out fans when there are no superstars – past or future – on their team), baseball teams are experimenting with applications for the mobile phone carrying fan. The most popular appears to be for ordering food that gets delivered to your seat. This sounds like a pretty good idea. I know that the last few times I’ve gone to the ballpark I’ve always made sure to order food before the game starts – or try to convince someone else I’m with to get any food during the game. The lines are so long (and the staff is so slow) that you can miss two innings of a game just waiting for your half-cooked hot dog and $6 soda. Other teams are experimenting with sending stats and information to phones. One team has a promotion where you can use your phone to bid on the jersey of a player, and after the game he’ll come over and sign it for you. Another idea is to put up polls on the scoreboard that people can vote on. While some purists say this takes away from the game, I think it’s nice that they’re adding some features that can get some fans more involved in the game. Now, if only they can figure out a way to get rid of the fans on mobile phones behind home plate waving to the cameras.
