That's pretty much the impression I got when I talked to my ticket rep this past fall - he told me they might be introducing a digital-based ticket delivery but that some alternative system would remain, at least in the short term. I wonder what made them change their minds and rush the new system into action.
But there is an alternate system. You can print out the tickets and bring them to the park. It's actually no different than any other venue I've ever been to. You use a paper or electronic ticket. In fact it's probably easier because now the tickets are collected in one place for me instead of having to find the ticket and then import it into a wallet. And I always have my phone with me. And it's easier to quickly get tickets to friends and my wife at last minute.
And they have been pushing adoption of the ballpark app for a while. For instance, last year if you arrived within an hour of first pitch you only got RCR if you used the ballpark app to get in. or only sending tickets to the autograph and Hot Stove sessions through the app.
I liked the cards, but I am sure people lost them all the time. They were also quite buggy at the concession stands.
But to answer the question, I am sure that this was done this year because it represented some type of monetary savings.
