LAS VEGAS, Jan. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This morning from the High Tech Retailing Summit at CES 2020, Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer and pioneering sports executive Larry Lucchino and tech startup Standard Cognition announced that the two have partnered to bring autonomous checkout to sports and entertainment venues around the world.
In September 2019, the Worcester Red Sox, of which Lucchino is Chairman and Principal Owner, became the first pro sports team to announce an autonomous checkout store, to be located in Polar Park, an innovative ballpark the team is building in Worcester, Mass. It is scheduled to open in April 2021.
The store will be stocked with snacks, drinks, and souvenirs, and will leverage Standard’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Vision technology to allow customers to shop and pay without any scanning, waiting in line, or stopping to check out. Fans can simply walk in, take what they like, and walk out to enjoy the game. The store will be accessible and open to the public and to those who use the Left Field Office Building, daily, whether or not there is a game at the ballpark.
Lucchino, who led the charge on the initial partnership, is known for driving innovation in pro sports venues. He was the visionary and driving force behind the creation of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore and Petco Park in San Diego before working with Boston Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry and Chairman Tom Werner to spearhead the renovation of Fenway Park and the creation of JetBlue Park in Lee County, Florida, both while serving as President/CEO of the Red Sox.
Based on Standard Cognition’s technology design and vision for the market at Polar Park, Lucchino approached Standard, suggesting the two collaborate in bringing autonomous checkout to the sports and entertainment world.
“I’ve been involved in implementing innovative technology in venues, and autonomous checkout will have perhaps the biggest impact on the fan experience,” said Lucchino. “No one wants to waste time standing in line. Autonomous checkout eliminates that, and is a giant step forward, thanks to Standard Cognition’s proprietary invention. It enables venues to provide a frictionless experience, and we think it will be so impactful that we want to help other venues use it too.”
“I can’t think of a more respected partner in the pro sports world than Larry Lucchino,” said Michael Suswal, co-founder and COO of Standard Cognition. “Larry’s knowledge, experience, and relationships are already giving Standard a major advantage in the sports and entertainment world. We are thrilled to go to market with Larry and his team.”
Matthew Levin, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial & Technology Officer for the Worcester Red Sox, has shepherded the Polar Park project with Lucchino. “We seek to improve the fan experience by reducing the subconscious or conscious stress points that fans have tolerated for generations,” Levin said. “We are using technology to improve the human experience.”
In addition to Levin, Lucchino’s team includes longtime baseball executive Jennifer Flynn, who served as an attorney for the Boston Red Sox and who was later Senior Vice President/Business for Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), the pre-eminent technology leader in major league sports. Joining them are Dr. Charles Steinberg, a baseball executive who has worked with Lucchino over a 40-year span, and who is currently the President of the Worcester Red Sox; and Jason Emmett, who has introduced technology innovations to the restaurant world in his role as President of more than 30 Duffy’s Sports Grills in Florida.
Standard Cognition was one of the first startups in the autonomous checkout space, and first to open a cashierless store in San Francisco. Recognized by Fast Company magazine as “One of The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies,” Standard is currently working with retailers across the US and the world. The company has raised $86M in funding from high-profile investors including CRV, Initialized Capital, EQT Ventures and Y Combinator.
Standard leverages ceiling-mounted cameras and proprietary AI and machine vision software to accurately associate each shopper with the items they pick up – without using facial recognition or any other biometrics. Fans have the option to pay via the Standard or Polar Park apps or visit a kiosk in the store to pay with cash or a credit/debit card.
In addition, shoppers who choose to pay at the kiosk do not have to scan anything – the kiosk automatically recognizes their purchases when they approach. The system requires no turnstiles, sensored shelves, or special store layout, creating a seamless experience for customers and making it easy to retrofit into existing stores.
Access a rendering of the store at www.polarpark.com/leftfieldmarket. To see a video of Standard’s technology in action, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgogpqVzEoc&feature=youtu.be.
Suswal and Levin made the announcement today from the High Tech Retailing Summit at CES 2020. The two addressed an audience of hundreds in a panel session titled, “How Frictionless Shopping Is Upping Its Game.” High Tech Retailing Summit is a day-long conference on January 8, and four-day exhibit marketplace at CES Las Vegas.
Produced by Living In Digital Times (LIDT), High Tech Retailing Summit brings together top retailers and innovative technologists to assist and weigh in on today’s environment in the retail industry.
About Standard Cognition
Standard Cognition provides the most flexible AI-powered autonomous checkout solutions for brick & mortar retailers. Available to any retailer, the Standard solution lets consumers shop and pay without waiting in line, scanning or stopping to check out. It helps retailers reduce labor costs, improve the customer experience, and improve profit margins by up to 100 percent. Standard also helps retailers of all sizes compete with larger chains and online offerings such as Amazon. Learn more at https://www.standard.ai/ or follow @standardAI.
Media Contacts:
Michelle Faulkner
+1 617-510-6998
michelle@big-swing.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eefa2fab-7130-48ff-b367-5564c89116e6