Chalk Talk: What It Takes to Deliver the Ultimate Sports and Entertainment Experience

Whether your favorite thing to do is going to the movies, concerts, festivals, or sporting events, I bet your least favorite thing is waiting in line…to park, get in the door, order food, grab a drink, buy some souvenirs, etc. Me too. That’s why I loved it when our local movie theater started offering “order ahead” for popcorn and delivering to our seats upon arrival. It’s also why I love my job at Zebra. 

I get to work with the people who run sports and entertainment venues around the world to help eliminate  wait times using technology that can essentially “fast pass” everything – from parking to ticket validation to food service and shopping, even sports betting and security responses. 

And, in the latest Chalk Talk episode, I got to talk a little (okay a lot) about what exactly I’m working on with these sports and entertainment clubs and venue managers to make sure you have the ultimate fan experience every time.

That’s right…Hale turned the tables a little bit and made me the “guest” for a day. So, tune in now to hear about how the magic happens at sporting events, concerts, festivals and the like – what it takes to ensure you have the best experience possible as an attendee, from the moment you arrive at the venue to the moment you pull away, and even after (if you’re a memorabilia collector). 

I also reveal:

• How security teams know who to let into venues and who to turn away.

• Why you won’t ever have to print a paper ticket or carry a loyalty card again as long as the venue staff are using Zebra devices. (Hint: It has something to do with Apple VAS and Google SmartTap.) 

• How professional sports teams like the New York Islanders (hockey) are using technology to improve the fan experience, like making it possible for you to pay for all your fan gear/souvenirs in less than 30 seconds in their arena’s retail stores! 

• What you should expect the next time you go to an event, whether big or small. (And why you should let someone, especially a Zebra, know if the experience didn’t live up to your expectations.)

Missed Past Episodes? Catch Up Now:

• Chalk Talk: Love the NFLs Next Gen Stats? This is How They All Come Together Inside the Command Center
• Chalk Talk Episode #2: Did You Know RFID Technology Was Used to Track Player Movements During 2022 NFL Combine Drills? Find Out What That Means for This Years Recruits (and Future Scouting Decisions).
• Chalk Talk Episode #3: NFL Pros Dwayne Johnson, Jr. and Chris Streveler Just Spent Three Weeks Working at Zebra. Find Out Why (and What It Was Like).
• Chalk Talk Episode #4: Its NFL Draft Time, and We Have Some Thoughts on How Things Will Play Out
• Chalk Talk Episode #5: The 2022 NFL Draft Was Proof That Anything Can Happen in Vegas
• Chalk Talk Episode #6: Former NFL Coach Sean Payton Talks about His New Team, as Well as What Excites and Frightens Him about the Next Chapter of His Movie-Worthy Story
• Chalk Talk Podcast Episode #7: NFL Legend and Football Operations Executive, Troy Vincent, Says Data Will Change What Players, Coaches, Officials and Scouts Do This Season. Find Out How.
• Chalk Talk Episode #8: Legendary Sportscaster David “Kap” Kaplan Just Wants Us All to Get Along and Live Life All In and He Has Some Ideas (and a Tattoo) to Inspire Us
• Chalk Talk Episode #9: NFL Pro and Life Literacy Coach Brandon Copeland Wants Us All to Start Normalizing Conversations Around Money and Meet New People. Here’s Why.
• Chalk Talk Episode #10: Legendary NFL Long Snapper Patrick Mannelly and Bernie’s Book Bank CEO Darrin Utynek Team Up to Share Stories of Unsung Heroes
• Chalk Talk Episode #11: Love the NFLs Next Gen Stats? This is How They All Come Together Inside the Command Center
• Chalk Talk Episode #12: Dont Get into a Football Trivia Challenge with Cincinnati Bengals Defensive End Jeffrey Gunter. You Will Not Win.
• Chalk Talk Episode #13: This is What It Takes to Be a College Football or NFL Scout, According to Jim Nagy

Adam Petrus is currently the Business Development and Sales Lead for Sports & Entertainment at Zebra Technologies where he is responsible for growing Zebra’s hardware and software solutions across the world of sports and the entertainment industry.   Prior to joining the sales team Adam co-managed Zebra’s game day operation of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats program and served as the project lead for the NFL’s Equipment Tracking Program, Virtual Locker.  Adam has more than 15 years of experience within the sports and technology industry and has been working with Next Gen Stats since 2015.  Previously, he worked in the front office of an NFL Football Club, served within the Intelligence Community supporting special operations to include two and a half years in Iraq and was a licensed and certified sports agent.  Adam holds a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University out of Berea, Ohio and attended the International Institute for Management & Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland where he earned a certificate in Business Management and Leadership.

As an active member of the community, Adam serves on the Baldwin Wallace University Carmel-Boyer School of Business Advisory Council, served on the Board of the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary International Club and is a member of the Jacksonville JAXSports Council – a non-profit established to enhance and positively impact the quality of life and community pride, along with generating economic impact and growth through professional and amateur sports. An outdoor enthusiast, Adam enjoys running, paddle boarding, golfing and being an active parent alongside his wife Jenn to their daughters Olivia (7) & Peyton (5) and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Gunner and Nash.  

Fun Fact: 

“My first job in the NFL was at age 16 when I was hired by the Cleveland Browns Groundcrew.  This position then led to a promotion into the front office when I was in college and a full-time role upon graduation.”