Zippin Checkout-Free Is a Slam Dunk for NBA Venues

As basketball season tips off we’re excited to announce six new Zippin-powered stores in NBA arenas this fall. Toyota Center, home to the Houston Rockets, recently launched two checkout-free stores ahead of their season opener on October 21st, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse closes out the final phase of the “Fieldhouse of the Future” renovations with two more frictionless shopping locations, giving Pacer fans four shops to choose from. Capital One Arena added two Zippin Lanes in October as well, making Zippin the platform behind one out of four professional basketball arenas nationwide. 

Frictionless is a Win-Win at the Fieldhouse of the Future

The pandemic sparked a few changes in professional sports with many beloved venues undergoing full upgrades to better serve their fans. One example is Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers and the Indiana Fever, and a regular March Madness host site. The venue included Zippin’s checkout-free shopping in every stage of the renovations with a total of four locations currently available.

"The Fieldhouse of the Future renovations have made the most iconic venue in the NBA even better, and the state-of-the-art technology at our Fast Break concession locations, through our partnership with Zippin, are a vivid example of how these upgrades connect with a new generation of fans,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson. “These experiences within the experience of being at Gainbridge Fieldhouse are a big part of what sets us apart as one of the most recognizable basketball arenas in the world.”

Fast Break checkout-free store - Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

A year on, deploying this retail technology has been a win-win for operators and shoppers alike. For retailers, this means more throughput in their stores and higher revenue. Gainbridge Fieldhouse has had checkout-free shopping since 2021 and has seen as many as 3,500 shoppers go through a single store during one event. With transaction times holding steady under one minute - from entering the store to heading back to the action - event goers see the value and welcome the additional locations that opened this month. 

Zippin in the NBA

Zippin was the first checkout-free platform to deploy in a sports arena, and the NBA was first to embrace frictionless shopping with the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. We now proudly serve 30% of professional sports venues in the U.S. Baseball, football, hockey, and basketball fans across America are simply tapping or inserting a card, shopping for what they want, and leaving without any bottlenecks, lines, or delays in getting back to the action. In terms that NBA fans can understand - you’re able to zip in and zip out before the shot clock ticks down. 

“Operators want the best technology to make the fan experience really stand out, but they need it to be reliable, accurate, and flexible,” said Krishna Motukuri, co-founder and CEO at Zippin. “There’s a lot on the line when the doors open for these large-scale events, and we hear over and over that Zippin is the only solution that’s able to deliver. We lead with the most accurate technology on the market and come through with proven and flexible deployment from retrofits to the extremely popular, Zippin Lane.”

Where to Zip In This NBA Season

Zippin is in a third of all sports venues, and has created an ecosystem of innovative teams, concessionaires, and brands that are leading the way in checkout-free. 

• AT&T Center in San Antonio has offered Spurs fans frictionless shopping since 2021.
• Barclays Center - Five Zippin-powered stores throughout the Brookly, NY hotspot.
• Capital One Arena recently opened two Zippin Lanes for the multi-use venue home to both basketball and NHL teams with the Capitals, Wizards, and Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team. 
• Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, offers four Zippin stores - the newest two just opened this fall. 
• Golden 1 Center is home to the Sacramento Kings and the original Zippin-powered store.
• Paycom Center in Oklahoma City has had checkout-free shopping since the 2021/2022 NBA season.
• Spectrum Center - Two popular “Buzz City” stores are available in Charlotte, NC for Hornets fans.
• Toyota Center in Houston, TX opened two checkout-free locations just this month.

Want to know more about how checkout-free can change everything from how fast your shoppers can transact to the operations for your staff? Reach out today!