Background

EventShop, a Nashville-based startup, has built an augmented reality platform that transforms physical commemorative tickets and event posters into interactive media experiences. Rather than treating the ticket stub as passive memorabilia, EventShop's system uses it as a trigger surface: scanning the stub with a phone camera launches game highlights, exclusive content, and immersive scenes tied to that specific event.

How It Works

The platform is built on marker-based AR using runtime image target generation, meaning new tickets and posters can be registered to the system from the backend without recompiling the application. Azure OCR (on web) and native OCR (on mobile) extract keywords from each ticket and match them to the appropriate highlight video in the cloud, enabling personalised content delivery at scale.

For browser-based access, developer Constantine Peros built a Unity WebGL app that runs entirely in-browser, removing the need for a separate download — a significant friction reduction for first-time users at live events.

Platform Partners

EventShop has deployed across several major league franchises and music artists. Sports partners include the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Chicago Blackhawks. Music partnerships span Morgan Wallen, Ed Sheeran, Green Day, and Kane Brown.

In 2025, EventShop acquired Interactive Images, an AR firm with strong music and entertainment industry ties, adding functionality for fans to upload personal content into ticket experiences for a more personalised commemorative product.

Technical Architecture

• Cross-platform delivery: iOS app, Android app, Unity WebGL (browser, no download)
• Runtime image targets allow unlimited ticket and poster variants without app updates
• Azure OCR (web) and native OCR (mobile) for ticket keyword extraction
• Custom branding via a Unity Scriptable Objects theme system, enabling rapid rollout of team- and artist-specific versions
• Scalable backend connection: new AR scenes added centrally without recompilation

Commercial Model

The commemorative ticket is positioned as a paid upgrade on top of the digital entry ticket — typically around $15 — creating a new direct revenue stream for teams and artists. The model also supports sponsor integrations and secondary-market collectability. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 LA Olympics, EventShop is targeting league-level partnership scale.