Innovation

Building a better fan experience for future Olympic and Paralympic Games

Team Visa athlete Seun Adigun (Nigeria, Bobsled) previews a conceptual demonstration of biometric authentication that verifies tickets purchased, expedites entry to venues and acts an integrated payment form factor to enhance fan experience on-site.

Fans of the Olympic and Paralympic Games have a lot to look forward to in terms of their Olympic Games experience, whether on-site or at home. Visa hosted an event in Beijing this week that gave a first look into how it will build a better experience with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The innovative moments, conceived and designed in Visa’s global network of Innovation Centers, include dynamic new imaginings of remote digital ticket purchases, biometric authentication for stadium entry, smarter and streamlined ways to pay for retail shopping, and in-home couch commerce using augmented reality.

Visa recently renewed its Olympic & Paralympic partnership through 2032, in part to help implement technology that not only enhances the experience for fans during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but leaves a lasting legacy of digital innovation after the Olympic Games are over. Visa has been the exclusive payments sponsor of the Olympic Games since 1986.

Given that more than three billion people around the world typically tune in to the Olympic Games every two years, yet a fraction attend in person, Visa and the IOC are committed to ensuring that the next generation of athletes, fans, accountholders and Visa clients will get more out of their Olympic Games experience—wherever it happens. This could include mobile ticket purchasing, in-seat ordering and even new ways to pay, such as making a purchase right from a television.

Follow Visa for more news as the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 approaches.

Zhang Peimeng (China, Athletics and Skeleton) tries out a "smart shopping bag" demo to purchase Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 Gear and save time at checkout. As the Official Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games through 2032, Visa is developing payment innovations to enhance the on-site and at-home Olympic Games experience for the fans of the future.

(Left to right) Benoit Huot (Canada, Para Swimming) and Seun Adigun (Nigeria, Bobsled) demonstrate commerce from the couch, a payment innovation idea in which Olympic fans will be able to make purchases in real time through an in-home omnichannel shopping experience.

Visa President Ryan McInerney speaks to a crowd of media in Beijing, China, as Visa previewed payment innovations that will enhance the on-site and at-home Olympic Games experience for the fans of the future.

*Iain Jamieson from Visa, and a panel of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, speak about the role technology plays in sport today.*

Payment technology Biometrics Payment trends Olympics

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