1. Executive Summary
Case Study

Jump x

Timberwolves

The fastest, most seamless tech implementation in NBA history

December 15, 2025

Executive Summary

In the summer of 2025, the Minnesota Timberwolves attempted one of the most ambitious technology transitions in NBA history: replacing their entire fan-facing ecosystem in just 88 days, ahead of opening night, at full league scale.

Fan Adoption

69056
fans onboarded in 13 weeks

Implementation

88
 days
from contract to opening night

App Stability

98
%
reduction in android app crashes

Release Velocity

Weekly
app releases
“To rip and replace a legacy system and execute 
flawlessly… incredible, really.”
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025

Insights from the Minnesota Timberwolves:

Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025
Mike Grahl
Chief Marketing Officer
Jeff Munneke
VP of Fan Experience
Eric Caulfield
Director of Ticketing

NBA-Scale. 
Zero Room for Error.

The Timberwolves approached this implementation as a chance to deliver a more modern fan experience and build a stronger foundation for growth. It mattered because of the scale at which the organization operates and the expectations fans bring to every game.

It touched every fan and every game, shaping the first impression of a new era. The Wolves wanted an experience that matched the energy of the team and the expectations of their market.

The stakes were high

It touched every fan and every game, shaping the first impression of a new era. The Wolves wanted an experience that matched the energy of the team and the expectations of their market.

Fans expect a modern experience

They needed to unlock more for fans: a simple, intuitive app, a faster entrance flow, instant access to tickets and transfers, and a unified digital identity that felt seamless across every touchpoint.

Growth required going direct-to-consumer

They needed to unlock more for growth: higher conversion, better fan insights, stronger resale and transfer performance, and a flexible platform built to support future initiatives.

“Legacy systems could not support the 
ambition we had for the fan experience. 
Our ability to access fan data and go direct to consumer… that’s what’s driving success.” 
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025

A Full-Stack Fan Platform, Delivered in Weeks

The Timberwolves did more than update a few tools. They replaced their entire fan technology ecosystem with a single platform that brought together ticketing, identity, mobile, upgrades, scanning, and enterprise tools. Every major department benefited, and every fan touched the new experience on day one.

Fan Adoption

They needed to unlock more for fans: a simple, intuitive app, a faster entrance flow, instant access to tickets and transfers, and a unified digital identity that felt seamless across every touchpoint.

98% reduction in Android crashes vs. prior year

Enterprise & Sales Tooling

A unified browser-based backend that helps teams move faster with quick training, streamlined offers, bulk tools, AI-assisted pricing, and clearer reporting.

88 enterprise users trained and live in one hour

Ticketing & Identity

A modern, reliable system built for high-volume fan activity, delivering accurate STM data migration, preserved payment history, instant transfer and resale tools, integrated seat upgrades, and real-time ticket visibility for fans and staff.

Scanning & Access Control

Fast, consistent entry across the NBA’s tightest footprint with fully modernized scanning, real-time validation, cleaner fallback options for staff, and faster throughput during peak pregame arrival.

“We took what was a development timeline that would've been significantly longer and condensed it 
into something that was much tighter. 
The collaborative process was incredibly streamlined and seamless.”
Mike Grahl
Chief Marketing Officer
“Fans have had a great experience buying tickets and 
transfers are instant 
with no delays. “
Eric Caulfield
Director of Ticketing
“What gave me confidence was having the embedded team. Jump was right there with us. 
Sleeves rolled up with the same goal
.”
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025

The 90-Day Timeline

The fastest ticketing and mobile app implementation in NBA history

A transition that typically takes an entire offseason, or even a full year, was completed in only 90 days. The Wolves and Jump teams moved in lockstep, solving technical challenges, training staff, and validating game-day flows at a pace the league had never seen.

July 11

Contract signed. Project launched immediately with discovery across ticketing, sales, service, marketing, and arena operations.

Weekly mobile releases delivered continuous improvements every week for four months and counting.

August 12

First season ticket member sale processed in Jump.

  • STM data and payment plans were migrated early to open sales within 30 days.
  • All enterprise users were trained and live in under one hour.
September 5

First internal live event.

  • Ran full scan tests and preseason events that mirrored game-day conditions for mobile entry, scanning, transfer flows, and event operations inside Target Center.
  • Jump staff worked on site throughout implementation and launch.
  • Both teams validated ticket flows and resolved issues together ahead of opening night.
October 7

First full gameday scan.

  • Fans walked through Target Center using the new Wolves app, updated tickets, and modernized scanning equipment.
No NBA team has ever implemented a full ecosystem transformation this quickly.
“It was so 
much easier and more efficient 
than anyone imagined, and we were able to run right into the season.”
Jeff Munneke
VP of Fan Experience
“We had a sandbox environment to play around with and 
get used to the system 
before we were actually in it.”
Eric Caulfield
Director of Ticketing

Unmatched Partnership

Jump didn’t just deliver software. Jump delivered a partnership.

Jump did more than deliver a platform. Jump embedded itself in Minneapolis throughout the final stages of the rollout and prepared the Timberwolves for one of the cleanest technology launches in the NBA. The partnership showed up in the data as clearly as it showed up on the concourse.

On The Ground:

Jump embedded three full-time staff in Minneapolis to support training, trial runs, and home games. They coached departments, assisted entry teams, handled real-time troubleshooting, and kept documentation and iterations moving quickly throughout the rollout.

Trial Runs Included

Jump led internal ticketing rehearsals, a full preseason test, and staff-only scan checks. They ran gate-level dry runs, emergency fallback drills, and delivered focused arena training to ensure every workflow was fully prepared ahead of launch.

<
21.7
min
Average business hours to first response
54.9
min
Average business hours to resolution

The Result

Confidence before opening night. Calm during doors open. And operational excellence from day one.

“There was 
never a moment where we felt alone 
in this implementation.”
Eric Caulfield
Director of Ticketing
“There was a 
commitment and a dedication level 
that was higher than we've experienced with any else.”
Mike Grahl
Chief Marketing Officer

Painless Transition for Fans

Fan Experience Proof

Fans never needed a new login, and all past tickets, payment plans, and identities carried over automatically. They saw faster load times and smoother checkout, a unified Wolves-branded experience across app and web, and a major expansion in self-service options, from single-game to suites, all working seamlessly from day one.

The middleman disappeared and the team owned every touchpoint, every transaction, every account.

For fans, it didn’t feel like a switch. It felt like an upgrade. They just updated their Timberwolves app and everything was ready: tickets, transfers, resale, faster entry. No third-party platforms. No re-onboarding. No confusion. Fans weren’t asked to adopt a new system. They simply started doing business directly with their team. Jump powers it quietly in the background.

50
%
reduction in fan support tickets
99
%
of STMs added credit cards before first payment was processed
98
%
Android fewer crashes than previous app
“Fans feel like they’re truly inside the team app and that connection has 
been a major differentiator for the team and fans.”
Mike Grahl
Chief Marketing Officer
“The fan experience is improved. It's faster, it's smooth, less troubleshooting. ”
Eric Caulfield
Director of Ticketing
“We've had a lot less need for [customer service] on game night. 
Our support needs have been cut in half this season
."
Jeff Munneke
VP of Fan Experience
“Everything is just speedier. It's more efficient. 
We've had far fewer questions than in the past.”
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025

Opening Night: Proof in Motion

Lightning-fast ingress. Zero issues. A quiet box office.

Opening night is where major technology implementations usually show their cracks. For the Timberwolves, it became the clearest proof that the new system worked at NBA scale.

Operational gains

The implementation did not just improve the fan experience. It created meaningful operational gains for every internal team

Faster Time to Launch Offers

Pricing Agent enables faster creation and rollout of new ticket offers.

0
Outages
100
%
Uptime
Near-instant scan validation

More paths to purchase

Suites were managed and sold directly through the platform for the first time.
Stat: % Increase in suite sales

20
%+
Fans browsed upgrades during games — a new digital habit driven by targeted messaging and in-app browsing.
“We're delivering on business objectives… 
fans can transact and enter effortlessly.”
Jeff Munneke
VP of Fan Experience
“The systems delivering on the ability to drive revenue 
and engagement because the fans have an easy way to purchase, to transfer, to resell, and to enter our venue in a seamless fashion.”
Mike Grahl
Chief Marketing Officer

Setting A New Standard in Sports

The Timberwolves did more than launch a new ticketing system in 90 days.

They deployed an entirely new team operating platform: mobile apps, ticketing, identity, upgrades, scanning, and enterprise tooling all at once, in a single offseason, without disrupting a single fan.
In doing so, they proved that an NBA franchise can:

Seamless System Overhaul

They deployed an entirely new team operating platform: mobile apps, ticketing, identity, upgrades, scanning, and enterprise tooling all at once, in a single offseason, without disrupting a single fan.
In doing so, they proved that an NBA franchise can:

Modernize its entire fan technology ecosystem in one offseason
Replace every major fan-facing system with no confusion or downtime
Migrate billing, payment plans, credits, and account history with full accuracy
Maintain the league’s top-ranked entrance experience during a platform transition. Deliver a unified mobile and ticketing journey that simply works
Achieve all of it in weeks, not years, with the right partner embedded alongside the team
This was more than a smooth launch. It established a new standard for how NBA teams can operate — one grounded in fan identity, data ownership, and direct-to-fan relationships. With a unified platform in place, the Wolves now have a stable, modern foundation to innovate on for years to come.
“This next era in sports is going to be about removing the middleman… organizations want that 
direct relationship with fans
.”
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025
“This wasn’t just changing ticketing. 
It changed how we operate as a team
.”
Kelly Laferriere
Interim CEO 2025