Tigers move to mobile-only entry for 2019 games at Comerica Park

Days when baseball tickets were ripped in two by a dutiful gate attendant, or when stubs were more gently detached, have given way to cell phones and barcodes.

The Tigers announced Wednesday that mobile ticketing will be the primary means for entering Comerica Park during the 2019 season.

Perhaps the simplest means for slipping past turnstiles will come by way of the Major League Baseball Ballpark App, which across America’s big-league venues has grown into the favored way for buying, selling — or transferring — tickets.

The same technology has been in place at Little Caesars Arena as the Red Wings and Pistons have moved in similar ways.

Comerica Park customers also will be able to use the StubHub App, which is a partner of big-league baseball.

Mobile devices will allow entry at Comerica Park by way of scanning a screened barcode. The Tigers, as well as Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office in New York, say mobile entry cuts down on fake tickets, allows for more efficient online transfers and re-sales, and makes online management of tickets more convenient.

Days when PDF tickets — printed, copied, or displayed on a mobile phone — could be offered at the gate have ceased, the Tigers said Wednesday.

Chris Granger, group president of sports and entertainment for Ilitch Holdings, said in Wednesday’s news release:

“We have been extensively testing mobile ticketing at both Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena over the last few years, and have received positive feedback from sports fans and concert goers.

“About half the teams across Major League Baseball will begin transitioning to mobile-only ticketing during the 2019 season, while over 30 NHL and NBA teams have already made the move.”        

Granger repeated that mobile entry “adds a uniformed layer of security that ensures your ticket is not fraudulent or counterfeit.”

The Tigers have asked customers to access their website (tigers.com/mobiletickets) and study the Frequently Asked Questions display.

Fans who do not have a smartphone, or related device, can get assistance at the Comerica Park Box Office where tickets for that day’s game can be printed. An exception, the Tigers said, will be group sales, with tickets continuing to be printed by the club.

The first taste of Comerica Park’s new procedure will come Saturday at TigerFest. Tickets are available ($30 for adults, $15 for children) at tigers.com/tigerfest.

The team also urged customers who already have bought season tickets for 2019 to contact a ticket representative with questions about mobile entry.

lynn.henning@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Lynn_Henning