Checking In Blog

Swish, Score, Shop: A Frictionless NBA Season Recap

Written by Bonnie Milam | Apr 25, 2024 5:40:00 PM

This year’s NBA regular season brought basketball fans 82 games worth of fast-paced, high-scoring action. From buzzer-beaters to breakouts, the court was ablaze with talent as teams battled it out for a place in the playoffs. 

Games move quickly in the NBA. Most teams averaged 0.5 shots per minute during the season. That means fans who wait ten minutes in a typical concessions line could miss out on a significant swing in the game dynamics. 

Assuming Zippin saved every fan ten minutes by eliminating the checkout line:

28,600 hours were given back to NBA fans
to enjoy their gameday experience! 

Luckily, many NBA teams have deployed Zippin checkout-free stores at their arenas. This gives fans a better gameday experience because they can watch more of the game without giving up their favorite food and beverages. Here's how Zippin-powered stores performed throughout the NBA regular season:

NBA venues are seeing measurable success with Zippin. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home to the Indiana Pacers and WNBA Indiana Fever, has four Zippin-powered stores deployed. Last year, the stores achieved sales 240% higher than nearby drink stands.  

 

"Fans are just flying through these stores.
We expected efficiency, but I'm honestly surprised by just how fast fans zip in and out."

- PS&E VP of Guest & Culinary Experience

 

Basketball arenas are just behind the NFL in the number of checkout-free stores deployed. The Zippin stores at NBA arenas are primarily retrofits and Zippin Lanes.  The sales represented in these 2023-2024 season numbers are almost entirely from drinks and packaged snacks. Adding Zippin Walk-Ups to these venues would increase revenues by adding freshly prepared hot foods to the checkout-free experience. NRG Stadium converted a stand to Zippin Walk-Up and achieved average shopping times of just 27 seconds.  

As the season wraps up, now's the perfect time to plan new checkout-free stores for next season. If you're looking to expand your checkout-free footprint or adopt checkout-free for the very first time, we're here to help us.

Click here to speak with us about how to get started.