Georgia Tech will take bitcoin payments for concession items
Don't have any cash at a Georgia Tech football game? You can buy popcorn and a drink now with bitcoin.
The school announced Wednesday that it would accept bitcoin for concession purchases at Bobby Dodd Stadium. As part of the partnership, students will be able to use bitcoin on Georgia Tech's campus as well. The bitcoin stations at the stadium will be at the student section.
“We look forward to working with BitPay to make bitcoin a viable payment option for our students and fans,” Georgia Tech athletic director Mike Bobinski said in a statement. “At Georgia Tech, we are always looking to lead in innovative ways, and this partnership with BitPay gives us an opportunity to do so by integrating this new technology at a sports venue and in the daily lives of our students."
Students will be able to use bitcoin on their BuzzCards, the student credit payment method.
In June, BitPay announced that the former Beef O'Brady's Bowl would become the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl.
Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer online currency system. People can buy bitcoins at bitcoin exchanges online and store them in a virtual wallet. The payment system also allows users to be anonymous; transactions are only tracked by wallet ID rather than by the user's name.
Will other schools follow Georgia Tech's lead? If bitcoin continues to take off and Georgia Tech students utilize it, it's very likely. Though after the value of bitcoin skyrocketed at the beginning of 2014, it's starting to decline as questions have risen about the security of the payment method. When the St. Petersburg Bowl sponsorship announcement was made, the value of a bitcoin according to this website was $608. Wednesday, a bitcoin was worth $385.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
