Counteracting Counterfeiting

Traditionally, high-profile soccer tournaments in Europe have been marred by widespread and sophisticated ticket forgery rings. Millions of dollars in annual advertising have been lost, soccer fans have been duped, and a much-loved sport's public image has been badly tarnished.

The Euro 2000 soccer championship, however, was different.

Last year, organizers of the championship chose Joos Printing, Turnout, Belgium, and its Xeikon DCP/32D digital color press for the production of 1.6 million forgery-proof tickets. Joos's printing operation for the Euro 2000 championship entailed variable-data management, detailed security printing, fast turnaround, and a distribute-and-print model.

The Euro 2000 database containing the ticket parameters for each soccer match was electronically transferred to Joos in a read-only format via a secure modem connection. Joos imported the file into the Xeikon press's digital front-end (DFE), which in turn performed variable-data functions that are the basis of the application.

"Xeikon has the only technology capable of handling the variable data, quick turnaround, different substrates, and tracking requirements for producing the tickets," says Alex Joos, managing director of Joos Printing. "This is a highly complex process, and the Xeikon press and its front-end technology brought together these elements seamlessly."

Bar codes, generated by complex, coded algorithms based on the database information, were added to the tickets. The formatted data was printed on eight different automatically selected templates, one for each of the stadiums hosting the Euro 2000 championship. Besides the bar codes and templates, other variable elements on the tickets included different colors for chosen seating locations, pictures and plans of the stadiums, and different corporate logos dependent on the combination of stadium and match.

Lastly, each ticket was allocated a serial number, which was based on the tickets ordered by each individual person or organization regardless of whether they were for one or several different matches. This created an additional element of security, as the numbering applied to the tickets was not generated on a sequential basis.

Each ticket was offset preprinted with 14 different colors, including Iris printing, fluorescent inks, and fast-drying ultraviolet inks to provide a basic level of security. The double-sided tickets then were printed on 25-cm-wide security paper that was specially created for the Euro 2000 championship.

When printed, the tickets were cut and bound directly into covers from the roll, eliminating the chance of lost tickets. Simultaneously, the variable bar codes were monitored and verified with the database, and an accompanying, personalized letter was generated listing the tickets ordered, their serial numbers, and match, date, and sponsor information.

Each ticket was completely personalized, thereby eliminating the risk of counterfeiting for the tournament. At each stadium entrance, a ticket's bar code was scanned, and the information was instantly compared to a database of legitimate tickets. If the information did not match, the ticket bearer was denied admission.

"We had absolute control over stadium access with what was essentially a little piece of art—a souvenir that fans can feel good about and hang on the wall when they return home," says Marco Stam, ticketing manager for Euro 2000. "In terms of sponsors, Euro 2000 achieved its objectives of being a profitable, exciting opportunity to reach customers."

The success of the Euro 2000 tickets has generated a lot of interest in digitally printed tickets. "The Euro 2004 organizers want to personalize and localize the marketing even further," says Stam. "I have also received calls from major ticketing companies in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom that want to produce digitally printed tickets on a regular basis."