Visa and the NFL have finalized a partnership that will enable fans to attend Super Bowl LV in 2021 and benefit from cashless payments to minimize the risk of covid-19 transmission and infection.

Cashless Payments to Improve Security at Super Bowl LV

The National Football League (NFL) and Visa have finalized a deal enabling fans to carry out cashless payments, as a direct response to the pandemic and the build-up towards Super Bowl LV in 2021.

Visa fills in the shoes of an official payment service provider for the NFL and will enable cashless payments as part of enhanced safety protocols that will make sports safer, with the NFL and other big sports leagues hoping to see gate receipts restored sooner rather than later.

NFL VP of Partnerships and Chief Revenue Officer Renie Anderson said that Visa would help shape the fan experience for years to come. With Visa’s help, the league will be able to deliver a more enjoyable and safer experience for everyone involved.

The payment will apply to a range of services fans used to pay for in cash and will encompass retail, concessions, parking, and more. Fans will be able to order and pay for treats on-site using their mobile devices and paying remotely with Visa.

To boost safety and appeal to reluctant fans, the NFL and Visa will install a number of ATMs that will dispense sanitized pre-paid vouchers worth $500. Fans will be able to scoop up the cards both in the venue and just outside the stadium to avoid congestion points and queues at the machines.

Visa: Bringing Digital Innovation to Sports Stadiums

The “touchless experience” has long been in the works, specified SVP of Head of North America Marketing for Visa, Mary Ann Reilly, who noted that the outbreak has incentivized sports leagues to seek an alternative to physical money.

Better yet, Visa has been for a while leading the in-stadium digital payment experience, Reilly noted. She further explained that Visa will have a key part in the overall transformation that will see more digital solutions put in place across NFL properties, saying:

“Visa will continue to lead the point of sale digital transformation at stadiums nationwide because converting to touchless, digital payments is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for fans and concessionaires alike.”

SVP of Head of North America Marketing for Visa, Mary Ann Reilly

The move is backed by surveys with consumers now reporting that around 75% of Visa’s users are inclined to use contactless payment options to avoid touching physical money. The ‘Touchless Payments: A Key to the Return of Live Events,’ initiative has been a pivotal moment for Visa empowering a safer overall experience.

The sports industry is not alone to enact cashless payment options, with Las Vegas and Atlantic City looking into similar solutions. Resort World Catskills in New York introduced a cashless payment solution with the help of IGT, a respected technological partner for the gaming industry.

Cashless has been encouraged by others, including the American Gaming Association (AGA) which saw in the pandemic an opportunity to turn a new leaf in the way payments are handled on the casino floor.

Going digital means that consumers would not have to face pesky issues with the tax office as all of the information will be available online.