NFL rolls out facial authentication for credentialed personnel

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The NFL is kicking off a new preseason with technology that could one day change your gameday experience - facial ticketing.

They've teamed up with the company Wicket, a facial authentication platform provider.

CEO Jeff Boehm tells us Wicket started in the height of COVID when the Cleveland Browns were looking for a way to get fans in. Instead of manual barcode scanning, fans who have enrolled can show their face to validate their ticket.

"Fans opt in to use this solution in order to gain the convenience to gain faster access to a stadium or even faster concessions or faster access to an event," Boehm said.

Boehm said Browns fans are now getting into the stadium four times faster.

"When you actually take a picture you take a selfie at home to register for this system, and then when you show up there's a camera that is used - typically an iPad to access the event those pictures are immediately changed into a mathematical representation that is then in turn encrypted," Boehm said.

The NFL tells us for now, the facial authentication program is only available for the team, gameday personnel, vendors and media. Fans are not included.

Every NFL team can use the new technology.

Levi's Stadium had no comment.

The MLB for example just launched their 'Go-Ahead Entry' program this past spring at Oracle Park. Giants fans who are 18 or older can enter using a camera at designated gates.

We spoke to Anil Jain, distinguished professor of Computer Science at Michigan State University, about this growing technology.

"It should be robust, that means it should work under all weather conditions, day and night, 24/7, it should not have any racial inequities, that is - it should recognize all demographic groups, both race and gender equally well," Jain said.

Jain suggests people who voluntarily register for similar systems know if the company will sell or not sell their information to third party applications.

"You know will you get specific emails from advertisers, you know? It's one of those things where it should only be used for the purpose for which it was being collected and you agreed," Jain said.

And Boehm said that's exactly what Wicket's safeguards are. Their data is not centralized - it's not sold or given to any third parties.

"Your face cannot be shared with anybody it can't be copied, it can't be faked, and so using your face as your identity, your face is your ticket, your face is your payment method, your face is your credential, it's a much easier and more secure method and I do believe this is what the future will look like," Boehm said.

This program is completely optional. No one is required to submit a photo to attend an NFL game.