The University of Delaware has turned to identity solutions provider, IDEMIA, to leverage the company's Mobile ID for age verification and identification at the university's football stadium. The new event access solution is the result of a partnership with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles and the University of Delaware Athletics, and makes UD one of the first campuses in the country to provide students and fans with a digital tool to verify identity without a physical driver’s license.

The UD athletic department is encouraging its fans to make the transition to the digital ID now offered by the state of Delaware. The department has distributed information about the initiative through its Blue Hens fan communications and with signs in Delaware Stadium.

“Our world is on the cusp of a digital transition from physical IDs to Mobile ID, and UD has always been on the cutting edge of technology that improves the lives of our students,” says Daniel Ammon, Delaware Sports Properties General Manager of Corporate Partnerships. “With this partnership, we are bringing this powerful shift directly to the hands of our fans, students and alumni who will very quickly see how universally secure and easy Mobile ID is to use.”

The Mobile ID solution will initially be available to fans in The Whitney Club section of the football stadium, enabling them to present Mobile IDs as a form of age verification. There are already plans to expand the initiative to other areas of campus in 2022, and the university believes will eventually lead to totally digital attendance.

IDEMIA's Mobile ID is a password-protected app that stores a digital version of a person’s official identification or driver’s license on their smartphone, as well as facilitates a contactless process for ID verification. The app is free to download and use, and authenticates the user’s identity by comparing a live selfie to a scan of both their physical driver’s license and existing profile in the state’s record system.

IDEMIA, the company behind TSA Precheck’s technology, developed its Mobile ID solution to never share data with retailers or organizations without active permission. Mobile ID pushes Delaware forward in the state's digital transition, offering services that equip residents with a more secure form of identification.

“Mobile ID will streamline Delaware state services and make them more accessible to residents,” says Jana Simpler, Director of DMV and Toll Operations. “In the future, everyday dealings from transferring a car title, getting your tax refund, to signing up for state benefits will be faster and more secure. This means we will be able to deliver enhanced services and foster better relationships with our residents.”

Delaware residents can use Mobile ID in other settings beyond UD athletics that require age or identity verification, such as at the grocery store or in a restaurant. When making a purchase, users can choose to share only the necessary personal data for completing the transaction, such as their age but not their address.