Sacramento Kings unveil discounts, ‘delights’ for season ticket holders

The Sacramento Kings unveiled a new benefit for season ticket holders Thursday morning that offers discounts, rewards and some surprises.

Here’s how it works if you’re a season ticket holder. You download the Royalty Pass via Apple or Google Wallet or you install the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center app. Season ticket holders who have their passes scanned will get a 35 percent discount on any nonalcoholic item at any Local Eats concession stand.

The team will get to know you, they’ll get to know what you like to buy, and offer you rewards. John Rinehart, the team’s president of business operations, gave an example: If a fan is consistently buying a hot dog and a popcorn, they might walk into the arena and get a notification that they’re getting a free hot dog and popcorn.

“It’s all about customizing the experience of our most loyal fans, our season ticket holders,” Rinehart said Wednesday.

The discount, powered by Lava software, is one of several high-tech developments implemented by the team this season. The other, a cashless convenience store, is also aimed at giving fans an experience with less hassles.

“The Kings will be able to surprise and delight their fans during games, creating memorable experiences that reward loyalty and bring fans back again and again,” Lava CEO Wen Miao said in a news release.

Of course, to get the discount, fans must have the Kings’ app or the Royalty Pass on their phones. Rinehart emphasized it’s an opt-in system and the team isn’t selling anybody’s data.

“The only thing we’re going to be using this data for is to customize fans’ experience at the games,” Rinehart said.

This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.