Powering digital tickets at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024, held from April 5th to 7th, captivated spectators worldwide with its prestigious lineup of rugby matches.

Leveraging digital tickets through the Tixserve-powered ‘HKCR Ticketing’ app, the governing body experienced seamless ticket holder entry across the 3–day tournament, heightened security, operational efficiency and fan engagement - ultimately delivering an unparalleled event experience for both attendees and the event organisers. 

Solution offered

Tixserve, in collaboration with Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR), introduced a cutting-edge digital ticketing platform back in 2022, laying the foundation for streamlined ticket inventory management and enhanced security. 

Through the Tixserve-powered HKCR Ticketing app, attendees experienced ease of access to their digital tickets, with the flexibility to manage and transfer them as needed. 

Tixserve’s robust technology ensured each ticket’s authenticity, mitigating the risk of fraud and unauthorised entry. Notably, individual tickets for each day of the three-day event were distributed, providing attendees with the ability to easily navigate between different days of the tournament. This approach provided ticket holder convenience and enabled HKCR to tailor content based on each day's event schedule and ticket holder preferences. 

Implementation and results

During the three-day tournament, over 123,000 digital tickets were delivered through the HKCR Ticketing app. Attendees experienced fast entry into the stadium with Tixserve’s high-speed scanning capabilities. 

Attendee satisfaction

The implementation of Tixserve’s digital ticketing distribution solution resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees, who appreciated the seamless entry process, enhanced convenience and supplemental event info and wayfinding. This positive experience was witnessed by a record-breaking attendance of over 120,000 fans, marking a significant milestone for the Hong Kong Sevens and signalling a triumphant return to its peak patronage. 

Data-driven decision making

The solution provided HKCR with accurate and verified data of every ticket holder, empowering them with valuable insights into attendee demographics, preferences, and user behaviour. This data-driven approach facilitates informed decision making and strategic planning for future events, enabling HKCR to optimise marketing efforts and enhance overall fan engagement. 

Enhanced security measures

Touting outside the stadium is a common issue for large-scale events, particularly when sold out. 

Tixserve’s ability to track-and-trace each ticket - from distribution to event entry, including all ticket transfers - provided HKCR with full transparency of the ownership and whereabouts of their tickets. Furthermore, with real-time visibility on any attempted suspicious activity, this enables proactive measures to combat fraudulent ticketing and ensure a secure environment for all attendees. 

Additionally, the system’s robust security features prevented multiple individuals from attempting to enter the stadium with the same ticket, further bolstering security measures. 

Operational efficiency

The Tixserve digital ticketing system streamlined operations and eliminated queues at the ticket office on matchdays, enhancing the overall efficiency of the event management process. 

Leading up to the tournament, HKCR’s ticketing team utilised the comprehensive dashboards on Tixserve’s Matchday Control Centre to manage ticket inventory, gain insights into ticket status’, and efficiently manage customer service queries.

During the tournament itself, attendees benefited from Tixserve’s patented offline functionality, which enabled seamless entry despite limited connectivity, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience from start to finish. 

Flexible ticketing options

Attendees received three matchday tickets for the tournament, offering flexibility for those unable to attend all three days. The ability to transfer tickets to companions facilitated efficient digital ticket management and ensured that fans could share the excitement of the event with friends and family. 

Sponsor benefits

Sponsors such as HSBC enjoyed dedicated access to the Tixserve-powered Management Portal, providing self-sufficiency to distribute and manage their allocated tickets, and comprehensive data insights to know and understand their ticket holders. This enhanced visibility enabled HKCR’s group of sponsors to better understand their audience and tailor marketing strategies accordingly, strengthening their brand presence and maximising ROI. 

Fan engagement

HKCR maximised fan engagement through the extensive use of the Tixserve lower ticket canvas, enriching the event experience with ever changing interactive content. The lower ticket canvas served as a hub for rich event information, featuring in-app links for upselling and cross-selling opportunities, as well as promoting traffic to the tournament website. 

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Fans accessed dynamic in-app links to the match centre, official merchandise store, and participated in sponsored campaigns from partners like Coca-Cola. 

Additionally, the Tixserve canvas provided insights into the daily match lineup, enticing fans with promotions to upgrade their tickets for enhanced experiences, meet-and-greets and all-inclusive F&B. 

Supplemental event and ticket information, along with prominently displayed sponsor logos, contributed to heightened fan excitement and added brand exposure for sponsors.

Push notifications were extensively used to share event line-up reminders, announce fan village events, and entice UGC aligned with Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens' sponsor campaigns. 

This interactive approach fostered deeper connections between attendees and the event, enhancing overall satisfaction and loyalty.