State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks NBA team, has opened a Hawks Express cashierless checkout store powered by AiFi and Verizon. Customers enter the store, select their items and exit, with purchases being automatically processed through their mobile payment method. Sports stadiums, with their combination of limited square footage and shoppers eager to return to the game, have become optimal locations for autonomous stores.
AiFi uses AI-powered, camera-led spatial intelligence solutions that monitor people and objects through space to unlock industry and performance insights. The solution provider has worked with Verizon on a number of installations, including at events such as the Indy 500.
“State Farm Arena is always exploring new digital solutions to enhance the experience for both our fans and staff,” said Kim Rometo, Chief Technology and Innovations Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena in a statement. “We are excited to see how the integration of Verizon 5G Edge and AiFi’s technology at the Hawks Express store will make an impact on checkout efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
Technology Shows Strong Growth in Sports Venues
AiFi operates in more than 280 autonomous store locations worldwide and provides frictionless checkout in more than 20 stadiums, including the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.; Nashville’s Nissan Stadium; and the American Express Stadium in Brighton, UK. The solution provider’s technology was deployed in a total of 74 stadium stores in 2024.
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Amazon’s Just Walk Out cashierless technology also has found a home in sports stadiums such as Coors Field in Colorado and amusement parks, including Six Flags. WHSmith deployed the tech at its first North American location, at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, in February 2022.
