Agenda Announced for the 2021 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

Agenda Announced for the 2021 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security’s (NCS4) 12th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition agenda is now available. The conference is on Nov. 9-10 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz., in conjunction with Title Sponsor, Aluma. The 2021 conference theme is Reconnect. Reflect. Inspire.

The conference provides an opportunity to reconnect with peers, reflect on industry changes and technological advancements, and support and inspire professionals making a difference in the safety and security of the sports and entertainment industries.

“We know how eager everyone is to gather in person, and we are excited to make that happen for our first face-to-face event since the COVID pandemic,” said Lauren Cranford, NCS4 director of operations. “We are working hard to bring meaningful content that is important and relevant to the sports and entertainment industry and look forward to sharing information and networking with peers during this exciting time together.”

The NCS4 announces Mark Campana, Live Nation Concerts’ Chief Operating Officer, as a keynote speaker to kick off the opening general session. Campana will inform attendees about “The Changing Entertainment Landscape.”

“The entertainment industry has adapted over the years to provide fans with better environments to enjoy a show, and it has been challenged to even a greater level over the past few years in that regard,” Campana said. “I look forward to delving into recent advancements in event management and what may be on the horizon.”

General sessions cover broad topics with panel discussions relevant to sports safety and security professionals in today’s ever-changing landscape, while breakout sessions allow participants to engage with panelists and attendees on key issues.

“The NCS4 provides a conference program that is a must for those involved with sports and special event management and security,” said Joe Monroe, University of Kentucky’s Chief of Police. “As we focus on rebounding from a pandemic, now is the time for you to connect with your peers and professionals to share best practices.”

Monroe serves as a panelist on the general session entitled, “If You Build It, They Will Come: Best Practices for Managing Security Projects and Stakeholder Relationships,” where presenters discuss best practices for planning, implementing, monitoring, and managing facility renovations and new construction projects based on continuous risk assessment and predictive forecasting.

Additionally, the panel shares insight on effective collaboration tactics with project stakeholders and third-party contractors to ensure harmonious working relationships throughout the lifespan of a project.
 
Additional general sessions include:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A New Lens on Safety and Security in Your Organization
  • Negligent Security Litigation – Preparing for the Unexpected
  • Integrating Cyber and Physical Security: An NFL Perspective
  • DHS SAFETY Act: Lessons Learned From the Evolving Landscape 

Attendees choose two breakout sessions from the following topics with content ranging from new technologies to communication, crisis intervention, and more:

  • Breaking Barriers: The New Technologies Transforming Event and Venue Safety
  • Communicating in a Crisis: Are You Ready?
  • Enhancing Levels of Awareness Through Exceptional Focus, Performance, and Control in Extreme Situations
  • Intro to Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation Tactics
  • Thought-Provoking Security Program Continuity Considerations: Development, Evolution, and Continuum 

In the breakout session, “Intro to Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation Tactics, participants can expect to learn the basic steps in de-escalation/crisis intervention based on cognitive responses vs. visceral responses. “This helps the sports security industry practitioner understand the different motivations associated with various reactions in their respective venues,” said Christian D’Alesandro, Dallas SWAT (Ret.).

In addition to keynote speakers, an awards luncheon, interactive panel discussions and breakout sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to explore emerging technologies and network with peers during the conference. A social reception planned for the event's first evening allows practitioners, industry partners, and exhibitors to gather in the Exhibit Hall to network with friends and colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.

Featured

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

  • Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

    Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.