Miami Heat become first NBA team with mobile-only ticketing
If you're heading to a Miami Heat game this season, you'll need your cellphone.
The team announced earlier this week that it was becoming the first NBA team with mobile-only ticketing--meaning it won't give out paper tickets.
You'll have to download the team's iOS or Android app, or open the ticket in your mobile browser when entering the arena.
In a statement to ESPN, a spokesperson for the Heat said the organization found that about one in three people used mobile tickets to get into last season's games.
"Adopting mobile only entry is all about improving the fan experience at the AmericanAirlines Arena," the team's website says. "Mobile only entry will make getting into the Arena seamless, simple, and fast."
We've reached out to the Heat for further comment.
Other teams, like the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers, have also adopted mobile-only ticketing options, ESPN reported. For Timberwolves and Cavs games, however, fans are allowed to use drivers licenses and credit cards to get in.
Mobile-ticketing lets teams learn more about fans, according to ESPN. The Miami Heat also said it "cuts down our carbon footprint, and reduces your risk when it comes to lost, stolen, or counterfeit tickets."
