AppleInsider Staff
Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday that it will adding nine new locations to the roster of ballparks that accept digital tickets stored and presented through Apple's Passbook iOS app.
It appears MLB is following the overall push toward digital with the added compatibility, as digital ticketing services like those supported by Apple's Passbook move further into the mainstream.
As noted by GigaOm, the 2013 season will see the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates join the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals in supporting Passbook tickets. Three more teams have signed on, but are not yet ready to make an official announcement, the MLB said.
Being one of the initial services to support Passbook upon the app's rollout in September 2012, MLB was "floored" by customer demand during the last two weeks of the 2012 season, with Apple's app being the delivery method of choice for 12 percent of all e-ticket buyers during the period.
MLB fans can use the free MLB.com At Bat app to purchase tickets and store them in Passbook until game day.
According to MLB CEO of Advanced Media Bob Bowman, iOS device owners account for 70 percent of users for the free version of At Bat, with that number "shrinking every day" with the rise of Android. In comparison, however, the $20 in-app upgrade, which brings added features like live game coverage and tie-ins with MLB.TV subscriptions, is largely dominated by IOS users. Currently, iOS At Bat users account for 85 percent of the for-pay app's subscribers, a stat that Bowman said is "slowly" changing.
The 2013 MLB regular season kicks off on Sunday, Mar. 31, with the Astros hosting the Rangers.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
7 Comments
I'll be using Passbook to attend World Champion San Francisco Giants games this year. See you at AT&T Park.
"I have yet to find a use for NFC." - Tony Wang, Lead Senior Editor, TWiT for a review of the Google Nexus 4. In my opinion, payments using Passbook is Apple's end game. Create an app that provides a single user interface for boarding passes, loyalty cards, retail coupons, movie tickets, and more then when the app is well accepted include the ability to purchase. [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/20/american-airlines-sephora-excited-by-initial-uptake-of-apples-passbook]American Airlines, Sephora excited by initial uptake of Apple's Passbook[/URL] on Thursday, December 20, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/09/square-latest-to-add-passbook-support-with-new-gift-cards]Square's new gift card initiative includes support for Apple's Passbook[/URL] on Sunday, December 09, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/06/discover-launches-passbook-support-for-cardholder-rewards]Discover launches Passbook support for cardholder rewards[/URL] on Thursday, December 06, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/04/remax-real-estate-agents-to-sport-passbook-business-cards-on-apples-iphone]Re/Max real estate agents to sport Passbook business cards on Apple's iPhone[/URL] on Tuesday, December 04, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/11/28/google-adds-passbook-support-to-ios-chrome-spreadsheets-to-drive]Google adds Passbook support to iOS Chrome, spreadsheets to Drive[/URL] on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/11/09/british-airways-planning-to-add-support-for-apples-passbook]British Airways planning to add support for Apple's Passbook[/URL] on Friday, November 09, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/10/10/in-initial-test-run-apples-passbook-accounts-for-12-of-mlb-e-tickets]In initial test run, Apple's Passbook accounts for 12% of MLB e-tickets[/URL] on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/10/03/starbucks-app-update-brings-passbook-support]Starbucks app update brings Passbook support[/URL] on Wednesday, October 03, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/18/ticketing_company_to_use_ios_6_passbook_at_columbus_zoo_other_attractions]Ticketing company to use iOS 6 Passbook at Columbus Zoo, other attractions[/URL] on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/13/delta_sheraton_ticketmaster_add_support_for_passbook_in_ios_6]Delta, Sheraton, Ticketmaster add support for Passbook in iOS 6[/URL] on Thursday, September 13, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/07/two_more_major_airlines_to_set_to_roll_out_passbook_support_report_says]Two more major airlines to set to roll out Passbook support, report says[/URL] on Friday, September 07, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/06/first_evidence_of_apple_passbook_boarding_pass_support_surfaces_ahead_of_iphone_launch]Evidence of airline support for Apple's Passbook surfaces ahead of iPhone debut[/URL] on Thursday, September 06, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/04/apples_passbook_strategy_ignores_nfc_technology_to_power_ios_6_retail_apps]Apple's Passbook strategy ignores NFC technology to power iOS 6 retail apps[/URL] on Tuesday, September 04, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/24/passbook_key_in_ios_6_but_apple_wont_detail_its_future_strategy]Passbook "key" in iOS 6, but Apple won't detail its future strategy[/URL] on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A look at the patents which may be related to Passbook. [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/20/apple-files-for-passbooks-digital-coupon-feature-hints-at-nfc]Apple files for patent Passbook's digital coupon feature, hints at NFC[/URL] on Thursday, December 20, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/08/07/apple_wins_nfc_enabled_barcode_reading_shopping_list_patent]Apple wins NFC-enabled barcode-reading "shopping list" patent[/URL] on Tuesday, August 07, 2012 [URL=http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/10/apple_wins_passbook_like_nfc_driven_itravel_patent]Apple wins Passbook-like, NFC-driven 'iTravel' patent[/URL] on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Here comes Samsung Wallet, a passbook knockoff. More "innovation" from Samsung. http://www.gizmodo.com/5987237/samsung-wallet-is-apples-passbook-on-android
Here comes Samsung Wallet, a passbook knockoff. More "innovation" from Samsung.
http://www.gizmodo.com/5987237/samsung-wallet-is-apples-passbook-on-android
They should have to pay 40 billions... they are shameless.
Bunch of corrupts.