Seatserve Expands At Anfield For Final

SeatServe, a venue platform enabling fans to order food, drinks and merchandise on their smartphone and have it delivered to their seat by existing concessions, rolled out across Anfield’s 30,000 spectators watching the weekend’s UEFA Champions League final.

The initiative, headed up in the UK by Sport Industry NextGen Leader Patrick McMeekin, has been working with Liverpool FC for its roll out in the Premier League, following trials in the Aviva Premiership and Guinness PRO14.

Since February, fans sitting in Anfield’s Main Stand and families in the Upper Anfield Road Stand have been able to trial the US system, with cashless ‘Click & Collect’ kiosks at kick-off and half-time, or deliveries during natural breaks in play, reducing in-seat ‘traffic’ and improving the fan experience.

For Saturday’s UEFA Champions League Final, which Real Madrid won 3-1, the service expanded to include the whole venue for the first time, including a full selection of beers and wine to the seat, due to different licensing circumstances, compared to a normal gameday.

Liverpool FC’s retail catering manager, Jeannine Cubbin commented: “With the strict licensing legislation in football, SeatServe had to adapt their service for us until it was perfect. Restricting deliveries to seats nearest the aisles and automatically disabling alcohol deliveries, has really demonstrated how flexible and robust the platform can be. Efficiency is what we are looking for from our match day operation and with SeatServe, my staff are far busier fulfilling orders throughout the game, rather than just at kick off and half time.

Cubbin added: “The trial to date has convinced us of SeatServe’s ability to deliver their suite of benefits at scale and we are proud to be the first Premier League football club to offer it to our fans. With technology playing an increasingly important role in our everyday lives, we feel it’s only a matter of time before in-seat delivery is not only accepted, but entirely taken for granted across all live events.”

Patrick McMeekin, partner at Sport Stadium Solutions LLP added: “We’re delighted to be working with Liverpool FC’s operations team, who have helped us hone our discrete offering to their passionate fan base. Inseat delivery is primarily about minimising distractions from the product people pay to see, without having to compromise on their level of F&B spend, further demonstrating Liverpool’s commitment to providing the best possible experience at Anfield.

“Even those with no interest in the concept benefit, from fewer people arriving late to their seats or leaving early at the interval. For most though, we know that having hot drinks delivered to their seat throughout some of the cold snaps in this extraordinary season, has been very well received.”