There is a great article in the Jan. 28th edition of BusinessWeek that focuses on the emergence of luxury vending machines. The article goes on to say,

"Vending machines using touch screens and credit cards to dispense pricey items like digital cameras and Elizabeth Arden cosmetics are popping up at U.S. airports and malls. The experience "is similar to an online purchase but with immediate gratification," says Grower Smith, CEO of Zoom-Systems, which created the machines so that Apple could sell iPods in the airports and at Macy's, which is putting the vendors in 400 stores. The compact dispensers can deliver high sales per square foot."

As properties look to minimize labor costs yet seek gains in incremental revenue, will we see these "luxe vending machines" popping up nationwide in sports venues? Teams and universities are continuously looking for new ways to sell media content, apparel, and gift cards and this may present a number of new opportunities for sponsorship integration and incremental sales.