Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA), the company entrusted to manage FNB Stadium, Orlando Stadium, Rand Stadium and the Dobsonville Stadium, have launched their own exclusive ticketing platform to avoid chaos, counterfeit tickets and access delay at their venues during high-volume events.
SMSA launched MyTicket, together with a strategic move to manage ticketing and access control in-house across the stadiums and venues under its management.
According to SMSA, the decision follows a detailed review of challenges experienced over time with traditional third-party ticketing models.
Chaos at Soweto Derby
In the last couple of years, there has been a series of chaos at their venues. This has been especially at the biggest sports game in the country, the Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Ticket fraudsters are always teeming at the venue. And counterfeit tickets have created a jam at the entry points, something that could have easily led to a stampede. In one of the recent derbies, more than 100, 000 fans made their way into the FNB Stadium. The venue has a capacity of 94, 000.
These challenges have often been compounded by infrastructure and connectivity limitations. And they directly affect spectator experience and operational efficiency. In response, SMSA elected to invest in a purpose-built ticketing and access-control ecosystem. One that is designed specifically for large stadium environments.
The long-term objective is to progressively transition towards a fully digital ticketing environment. But SMSA recognises that some patrons still prefer or require physical ticket purchasing options. To accommodate this, SMSA has concluded a distribution agreement with Computicket. This will act as its physical ticket distribution partner.
SMSA CEO Bertie Grobbelaar said: “Our focus is on delivering a safe, secure, and seamless stadium experience. By investing in our own ticketing and access-control platform, we are reducing fraud, improving ingress efficiency, and taking direct responsibility for how spectators access the venues we manage.”
To be implemented on a phased basis
The roll-out of MyTicket and the upgraded access-control systems will be implemented on a phased basis. This will be across SMSA’s venue portfolio, with event-specific communication issued through official channels.
The platform was developed by a professionally appointed design team. And it drew on SMSA’s extensive experience in managing access control across major sporting and live entertainment events. This investment includes state-of-the-art ticket scanning devices, upgraded turnstile functionality, and expanded server and connectivity capacity to support reliable, high-speed validation at peak ingress periods.
Mobile devices applicable
MyTicket has been designed to deliver a modern and intuitive ticketing experience for fans. To support both mobile and printed tickets. Spectators can purchase tickets, store them securely on their mobile devices, and present them at venue entry points with instant validation.
Key features include rotating smart QR codes that refresh regularly to reduce fraud and unauthorised sharing. Also offline functionality that allows tickets to be accessed and scanned when mobile signal is limited. Add-to-wallet support for both iOS and Android devices, and availability via Google Play, the Apple App Store, and web platforms.
Embedded digital security features, encrypted validation processes, and real-time monitoring tools allow SMSA to take direct accountability for access control at the venues it manages. This while improving gate efficiency and enhancing overall event-day operations.
