Partnership makes mobile ordering and in app payments available to college app users

PLAYA VISTA, Calif., Aug. 23, 2018 — Appetize, the modern Point of Sale (POS) company transforming foodservice and retail payment technology for enterprise businesses, and Learfield’s SIDEARM Sports, the leading provider of collegiate athletic web and mobile solutions, today announced a partnership to bring digital ordering and payment experiences to college fans. Sidearm’s client base includes more than 1,100 college campuses nationwide.

Appetize’s Mobile Ordering Platform directly integrates into the SIDEARM Sports Mobile Application via its API, allowing fans to select their seat, menu items for purchase, and checkout. Appetize sends orders to the closest Kitchen Display System for delivery or for pickup, and fans receive order updates via text message. SIDEARM partner schools can easily opt in and enable mobile ordering for their athletic departments within their existing SIDEARM application. As a mutual client of both companies, University of North Carolina has opted to be the first client to deploy the joint solution.

“SIDEARM is focused on delivering an exceptional fan experience to our collegiate partners. It was only natural that we incorporate the in-seat ordering experience into our platform,” says Jeff Rubin, President/CEO of SIDEARM Sports. “As a leader in the mobile ordering, we are excited to partner with Appetize to bring modern and innovative solutions to our partners that will improve the guest experience and increase revenue opportunities.”

SIDEARM partners also have the option to introduce Appetize’s full Point of Sale product suite that includes fixed POS, self-service kiosks, and handheld tablets across their entire athletic department and campus. Whether deploying the mobile application or entire suite, campuses can monitor and manage their entire operations, develop custom menu offerings, track inventory levels, and run real-time reports through Appetize Connect, the web-based Point of Sale management platform.

“We’re thrilled to partner with SIDEARM Sports who not only shares the common mission of improving the guest experience, but who also provides a platform that complements our omni-channel approach to Point of Sale,” says Kevin Anderson, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Appetize. “Together, we are meeting the guests beyond the traditional register within their favorite team app, and providing a convenient way to make purchases on their own time.”

Appetize has been delivering faster, easier-to-use payment technology to enterprise businesses including arenas, stadiums, convention centers, theme parks, campuses, restaurants and retail chain stores since 2011. The technology provides enhanced security, reliability, redundancy, inventory management and increased guest analytics, all critical pieces that large scale organizations demand for their operations.

For more information about Appetize, please visit getappetize.

About Appetize

Appetize is a modern Point of Sale, inventory and analytics platform transforming how sports and entertainment venues manage and process guest transactions. With an omni-channel approach, Appetize makes front of house transactions more intuitive through fixed, self-serve and handheld form factors, while providing robust kitchen and back office tools. Appetize is trusted by some of the largest and highest volume businesses in the world, including sports and entertainment properties, education campuses, theme parks, travel and leisure sites, and national chain brands. For more information, please visit getappetize.

About SIDEARM Sports

Acquired by collegiate marketer Learfield in June 2014, SIDEARM Sports is the nation’s leading digital provider serving more than 1,100 partners. Based in Syracuse, NY, SIDEARM Sports was founded in 2000 by Jeff Rubin, who continues to lead the business. Clients applaud SIDEARM for its service, reliability and customization, and its easy-to-use interface allows schools to customize their content streams and digital presence. As a leader in collegiate athletic web solutions, SIDEARM Sports provides the software and technology that powers websites, mobile applications, live stats, social presence and video streaming for its school and conference partners. Learfield is a diverse media enterprise anchored by its core collegiate business managing multimedia rights and sponsorship initiatives for nearly 130 institutions, conferences and arenas nationwide.