Emirates Dubai 7s Ticketing Platform & Mobile App

For the Emirates Dubai 7s, one of the region's premier rugby events, the challenge was clear. We needed to modernize the ticketing experience and unlock valuable attendee insights. The solution was a comprehensive digital platform that transformed how fans engage with the event.

The Challenge

Before partnering with Back9, the Emirates Dubai 7s relied on manual ticketing processes using PDF tickets. The event organizers lacked insights into attendee behavior and had minimal data on:

• Attendee demographics
• Spending habits at venues
• Overall engagement patterns
• Real-time event analytics

The goal was clear. We needed to enhance the attendee experience and increase engagement before, during, and after the event through a digital solution.

Our Solution

As Head of Product and Delivery, I worked with the Back9 team to develop and launch a comprehensive Event App for the 2021 Emirates Dubai 7s. The solution included:

Digital Ticketing & Wallet

• Buy, transfer, and store tickets digitally in the App Wallet
• Real-time ticket validation and scanning
• Secure digital payment processing

Event Experience Features

• Access to event schedules and live results
• News and updates in real-time
• Team following and fixture tracking
• Digital merchandise store with in-person collection

Data & Analytics

• Post-event insights on attendee demographics
• Behavior tracking and engagement metrics
• Venue spending patterns
• Real-time crowd management

The platform was built with a focus on user experience, scalability, and real-time data processing to handle the high volume of concurrent users during the event.

The Impact

The app transformed the event experience for attendees and provided key insights for event organizers, making it a resounding success:

Key Metrics

• 80,000+ ticket passes distributed through the app
• Over 2 million app interactions during the event
• 2,400+ digital payments processed seamlessly
• 3,000+ tickets scanned per hour during peak times

Business Impact

• Improved attendee engagement through schedule, results, and news features
• Provided detailed attendee demographic and credit spend data
• Enhanced security and fraud prevention
• Streamlined event operations and reduced manual work

"The new ticketing platform transformed our event operations. It's user-friendly, efficient, and significantly boosted our ticket sales."
Event Director, Emirates Dubai 7s

The success of the 2021 platform led to further enhancements in 2022, including the addition of a merchandise shop and team following features. The platform has set a new standard for sports event management in the region.