Dr Ali Bacher and his colleagues at the United Cricket Board (UCB) of South Africa must be proud of the number of innovations they have introduced to the game of cricket over the years. The best known example being the introduction of the third umpire.
Now with Dr Bacher having moved on to taking control of the arrangements for next year's Cricket World Cup we will see the full-scale introduction of the latest in high-technology ticketing systems, the SafeVenue system. This will not only ease the problem of buying tickets, but it will make things safer for spectators and will provide much easier entrance and exit from the grounds.
Dr Bacher himself who again wanted to leave the game with yet another legacy, drove the concept for this system. A legacy it will be, as the system will continue to be used at all South African cricket venues in the future. With its focus on security, personal and financial, the SafeVenue access control system is suitable for use at all stadium events and would no doubt prevent a repeat of the recent Ellis Park football tragedy. Ideal opportunities for the use of the South African developed and patented system would in fact be other world events such as the Olympics and World Cup Soccer that attract orders of magnitude of more aficionados than cricket.
Flexible ticketing system
The story began with the requirement for a flexible, inexpensive and secure ticketing system for the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Flexible meant that ticket buyers could select specific packages such as following all the matches played by a specific team, all matches at one ground, and a desire by the UCB itself that participation by spectators could be maximised at the smaller and less well-known venues. Conventional ticketing systems (eg those used by movie theatres) were inadequate while smartcard solutions would prove too costly in terms of continued operation beyond the World Cup event.
The tender for the new and innovative system was eventually won by Dimension Data (Didata). Didata had decided to partner with DexSecurity Solutions to produce a system based on the cheapest possible material, namely normal ticket card stock, that could be adapted using proprietary techniques to securely store large amounts of data. The UCB also took a group of specialists to the Sydney Olympics so that the advantages and drawbacks of the ticketing system used there could be taken into account.
The solution developed by DexSecurity, known as SafeVenue, makes use of a copy-protected two-dimensional (2D) bar code that is virtually impossible to forge. Forging a ticket would in any case be a complete waste of time as forgeries are identified as such before entry to the venue. In the highly unlikely event of a nuisance spate of forgeries the master bar code can of course be updated by DexSecurity, and will in any case be changed for each major event. Incidentally, even the ink used for the barcode was carefully researched so that it could withstand long exposure to the intense South African sun.
Novel features
The 2D bar code (typically the size of a normal postage stamp) enables a vast amount of data and information to be stored on the ticket, including details of the events for which it is authenticated, ticket number, seat number, name of purchaser etc. The authorised holder can enter and exit the game as many times as he wants (to visit hospitality tents for example), but the ticket itself cannot be passed back. The computer system (all turnstiles and gates are networked by Didata) knows that the ticket has already been used for entry and the turnstile will deny access. Other novel features allow the ground to block off the sight screen seats after the final pitch for the day has been rolled. Rowdy individuals and streakers should also beware as their 'package' tickets could be cancelled by the UCB.
As a result of the uniqueness of the system DexSecurity had to design its own turnstiles and readers for the bar code. Each turnstile incorporates an Intel 386 microprocessor and 8 MB of memory is used to collect ticket data and to track entry and exit. All turnstiles at every gate into the venue are updated in realtime over the network (so that the same back-passed ticket cannot be used for entry at one of the other gates) and full battery back-up is provided in case of a power failure.
Didata developed the ticketing system for the UCB. Its comprehensive database now includes details of all the South African venues to be used. Each seat itself is flagged with its own special characteristics including price, elevation and the type of roof covering. Information on ticket sales for every event will be instantly available to the UCB and it can get Didata to revalidate tickets for an extra day if for example rain prevents play. Besides developing the ticket system the software designed by Didata allows the UCB to establish a database for its cricket-loving clientele. Over time this will allow the cricket authorities to optimally plan developments around existing or new grounds.
The total system is now fully operational and ticket packages will be available as from July this year using multiple channels including call centres, the Internet, the grounds themselves and other ticketing organisations such as Computicket. The use of the Internet will allow overseas visitors to make their bookings directly, another useful innovation. Sale of personal tickets is scheduled for later in the year.
Successful test phases
The complete ticketing system has been through several successful test phases. It was first used at the Wanderers and some other venues during the Indian tour, and over 130 000 ticket sales were handled in less than a month. For the more recent Australian tour all the major stadia (including Potchefstroom) were on-line and once again minimal problems were experienced. The test sites provided confirmation that the paper ticket on which the bar code is printed would withstand extended use, including being folded and stuck into pockets and wallets. In fact the bar code can be read correctly even if a large portion of it has been destroyed or obliterated. If you are thinking that this means you can cut the ticket in half, forget it, as only one half will be authenticated.
The SafeVenue system, although devised to meet the far-seeing needs of the Cricket World Cup organisers, offers major advantages for all sporting events. While security normally slows things down and causes the inconvenience of longer queues, SafeVenue allows for the rapid movement of fans through turnstiles. The very exceptional event of an invalid ticket can be quickly dealt with by normal security personnel who are alerted to the type of incident by a triple light system on each turnstile. No longer can corrupt officials be bribed to allow access, while the bane of ticket touts will be eliminated as ticket buyers will have no means of ensuring the authenticity of the tickets they try to sell. In fact they could be selling you a worthless piece of paper! In the longer term one can see the opportunities of using SafeVenue to keep known troublemakers out of sports venues. Its seating database will also prove useful in other sports and countries where rival supporters need to be kept separated.
For DexSecurity and Didata the Cricket World Cup will provide the ideal opportunity to market the SafeVenue system to other interested parties and both companies are making use of their international networks to promote the technology. DexSecurity has a strong presence in South America and the Brazilian Soccer Federation has already expressed interest. Who knows - we may see the South African ticketing system used at the next Olympics in Greece!
For further details regarding DexSecurity contact 011 644 6500.
For further details regarding Didata contact 011 709 1000.
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