Boosting sales. Building loyalty. And bringing fans back for more.
We teamed up with Atlanta’s State Farm Arena to modernize the venue’s commerce platform, delivering 281 new point-of-sale (POS) systems and a faster, smarter, more efficient payment solution. The results? Game changing.
11%
increase in transactions
74,000
loyalty transactions
16%
increase in per-visit guest spending
Strengthened security and increased transaction processing accuracy
Reduced employee workload by 50%
Increased revenue by more than 20%
Customer
State Farm Arena and Atlanta Hawks
There’s always something new to see at State Farm Arena, Atlanta’s premier live events venue. On any given night, they might host a sold-out Elton John show, a monster truck rally or an Atlanta Hawks basketball game.
With over 120 events drawing up to 17,000 fans per night, the arena welcomed almost 1.8 million guests in the 2023/2024 season alone — all expecting a world-class experience. And State Farm Arena is committed to delivering.
Thanks to a transformative venue redesign, the arena features a more spacious atmosphere, better visibility and new fan-favorite amenities, including dining experiences rooted in Atlanta’s world-class food scene. With more fans than ever to wow, the arena needed a payments technology provider that could deliver under pressure and keep State Farm Arena on the cutting edge. That’s where we came in.
Location: Atlanta, GA, United States
Size: Enterprise
Commerce platform solutions: End-to-end POS, integrated payments and ticketing technology
The Challenge
A fast-paced game needs fast-paced payments
In basketball, every second counts. Fans who want to buy a drink or grab a bite without missing a moment of gameplay are always up against the clock.
With soaring demand across the venue, State Farm Arena needed a solution to process hundreds of transactions per minute, cut wait times at concessions and streamline operations across a diverse range of vendors. And it would all have to happen on a tight off-season timeline.
No room for error
This kind of transformation called for a proven payments partner with the experience and expertise to deliver without a hitch. The wrong system could mean longer wait times, slower sales and frustrated fans missing the on-court action — ultimately undermining the Hawks’ commitment to a stellar guest experience and impacting vendors and ticket sales alike.
All in for Atlanta
The stakes were high, but State Farm Arena was determined to find a partner up to the challenge. They found what they were looking for in Global Payments. Atlanta born and bred, we share the Hawks’ passion for serving our city. And with a track record of success for similar transformations at nearby Truist Park and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, we brought proven expertise to the table in facilitating world-class fan experiences for hometown teams.
With Global Payments on board, State Farm Arena was set to make the gameday experience a slam dunk from queue to court.
COMMERCE PLATFORM IN ACTION
281 POS systems. 724 concession items. And an unbeatable fan experience.
Global Payments worked hand in hand with State Farm Arena and Levy, the arena’s hospitality partner, to rapidly implement our POS and integrated payments solution across hundreds of customer touchpoints. It’s a powerful combination, delivering the fastest, most seamless transaction experience in the industry.
Thanks to the user-friendly interface, onboarding was a breeze. With the arena sharing part-time staff with Truist Park and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, employees can now use the same platform across all three sites — which means reduced training, smoother workflows and less stress.
And since the Hawks use Global Payments to power ticket sales, scoring seats to the next big game is easier than ever.
Innovation in action
“We were able to streamline our sales and training processes and elevate our business by having Global Payments as our partner. Customers now experience seamless transactions with the ability to use their Atlanta Hawks loyalty and we get near real-time insights. Win-win!”
Kim Rometo — EVP, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena
INNOVATION DELIVERED
A powerful solution — from tickets to t-shirts
With Global Payments powering their box office and concessions, State Farm Arena accelerated sales and simplified operations for staff. EMV compliance enhanced security and reduced ticketing chargebacks, while an improved Hawks Bucks loyalty program strengthened ties between fans and their favorite team.
In this partnership, everyone wins. State Farm Arena gets deeper data, seamless operations, increased revenue and more visibility and control. Meanwhile, fans get a faster, more intuitive payments experience — which means less time waiting and more time enjoying the action.
Proven results
The stats don’t lie. With the assist from our industry-leading tech, State Farm Arena’s transactions grew 11% year-over-year and team workloads were cut in half.
Guests felt the changes, too with the new fan loyalty program seeing 74,000 transactions.
Teamwork makes the dream work
For Levy, the hospitality partner at State Farm Arena, this surge in success can be chalked up to one thing: collaboration. Global Payments worked closely with Levy’s team at the arena, staying attuned to their needs and ready to jump in at any moment to make sure they had exactly what they needed.
Innovation in action
“By working together, we’ve been able to unlock new opportunities and drive results that exceed expectations. From the coordination of the hardware deployment to the programming, all of the teams understood the business goals and came together in harmony”
Bobby DiCicco — Regional Director of Operations, Levy Restaurants
STAYING AHEAD OF CHANGE
A scalable solution for every season
With the help of Global Payments, State Farm Arena has put up some impressive wins, posting major growth in revenue, efficiency and customer loyalty. As one of Atlanta’s leading venues, they remain focused on the future — and with the strong technology foundation that our platform provides, they’re ready to grow.
This year, State Farm Arena is expanding their calendar to host even more events — 200 in total. Whether it’s a sold-out concert or game seven, our technology is primed to help deliver exceptional experiences for every fan, highlighting streamlined concessions and exciting new engagement and loyalty offerings.
The momentum continues with the launch of the Global Payments Innovation Lab at the arena, which brings together trailblazers from Global Payments, State Farm Arena and key partners to develop the next wave of payment technology.
From handheld POS systems to self-service kiosks and kitchen management tools, these innovations promise to unlock new growth opportunities sure to transform State Farm Arena’s gameday experience once again.
Innovation in action
“Both guest experience and employee experience are paramount to the Hawks. Our partnership with Global Payments has been crucial to help ensure that all fans and concertgoers have both an efficient and smooth experience when purchasing items like food, drinks or even merchandise at State Farm Arena.”
Andrew Saltzman — President of Business Enterprise and Chief Commercial Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena
