Getting into Gators games just became as easy as taking a selfie.
Starting at the Aug. 30 football game against Long Island University, the University Athletic Association launched a facial authentication program. Express Entry allows fans to skip the line by using facial authentication rather than a mobile ticket on their phone. The hands-free method avoids holdups in entry lines many in The Gator Nation know all too well.
UF is the first school in the nation to implement this new system after test runs at two games during the 2024-25 football season.
Ticket holders can opt into Express Entry by logging into Ticketmaster and taking a selfie. At each of the stadium’s six Express Entry lanes, a kiosk scans the ticket holder’s face and checks whether it matches the selfie.
Those who enroll in Express Entry at one sporting event can also use it at all other events for multiple years, according to the Florida Gators website.
Paul Weber, a 22-year-old UF aerospace engineering senior, said the Express Entry lanes are a great use of technology, given he can quickly enter the stadium to get snacks and drinks now. Weber approached the gate, dressed in orange and blue and ready to present his face to the kiosk, at Florida’s season opener.
“I was not a part of those test runs, and I wasn’t aware this was happening,” Weber said. “But you know, I’m happy it’s happening now.”
Mike Castle, the UAA’s associate athletic director for ticketing, said about 9,000 fans are enrolled for Express Entry, with about 90,000 total people attending the Aug. 30 game against Long Island. The UAA has “received nothing but positive reviews” from users, Castle said.
He also said anyone who has concerns about security breaches or their information being leaked via the facial authentication process should not be worried.
Facial authentication is different from facial recognition, Castle said. Someone using facial authentication, like for Express Entry, takes a picture of themselves. The photo goes into a system that matches it with the user’s face in the future.
Facial recognition, on the other hand, is more often used for safety purposes. It acts like a security camera, Castle said, scanning an entire crowd for one person, which alerts companies of people whom they don’t want in their buildings.
According to Wicket, the company that powers the Express Entry program, no photos are stored on the entry devices, and users can opt out of the program whenever they want.
“We know for a fact the data is not sold or shared to third parties,” Castle said.
Adam Drumm, a Gainesville resident who went to the Aug. 30 game with his son, said he had no concerns about his privacy while using Express Entry, and it was an effective method to move lines faster.
“I wish they had more of them, honestly,” Drumm said.
Saugat Shrestha is a contributing writer for The Alligator. Contact him at 123456789saugat@gmail.com.
