Stadium Security Goes High-tech With Elevated Standards, New Innovations

Stadium Security Goes High-tech With Elevated Standards, New Innovations

When it comes to physical security, the world around us has changed. First, society has changed, with more social unrest and violence occurring in the COVID-19 era, including a rise in fan misbehavior at sporting events. Second, stadiums have changed, with more high-tech amenities, luxuries and conveniences.

Giant LED video screens, specialized apps for food and parking – even spa cabanas and a dog park are available at some of today’s modern venues. These are no longer “parks” or “stadiums,” they are “entertainment experiences.” Finally, security threats have changed, with a wider range of weapons that are more sophisticated and easier to hide.

One thing that has not changed over time are the standard metal detectors that most of us have walked through at some point. Metal detectors are still based upon 40-year-old, outdated technology that was built for a different purpose and environment. The good news is the digitization that has radically transformed multiple industries is now taking place in the physical security sector. While a new wave of technological advancements can provide many opportunities to improve stadium security, the key is to do so in a standardized manner that can scale up league-wide and provide a safe and convenient fan experience.

Keeping Fans Safe, Improving the Fan Experience
Over the past year, I’ve met with security executives at multiple professional sports leagues, who explained their goals and challenges for keeping fans, staff and athletes safe at their stadiums and arenas across the United States and Canada. The key challenge is improving fan safety, while also delivering an optimal fan experience.

Fans don’t want to wait in long, slow security lines (or any lines) when attending a game. This holds true for any new technology – it needs to make life easier for fans, not worse. Otherwise, things can get ugly, and quickly. For example, at a September 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers game, lines backed up and fans became angry over issues with paperless ticketing.

From a security standpoint, stadiums can be an attractive target due to their size. The number of people who attend a professional football game on a typical Sunday is often three times larger than the population of most mid-sized U.S. cities. How can major sports leagues, and their teams, keep thousands of fans safe from venue to venue, in a consistent manner? There are industry standards that the leagues are currently evaluating that can help to elevate security efforts league-wide and nationwide. With the Super Bowl coming soon, we’ve seen full stadiums throughout the NFL playoffs, which puts stadium security top-of-mind.

Emerging Standards for Physical Security
While some of the security standards under consideration were originally created before the rise of the Internet, various leagues are working with organizations to innovate and elevate the requirements to meet today’s emerging threats and embrace new advanced technologies.

For example, the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) is working with vendors and venues to better understand how technologies are addressing capability gaps. Through their Operational Exercise program, the NCS⁴ creates use cases and educates the industry on existing and emerging technologies.

Working together, leagues, solution providers and organizations like the NCS4 can collaborate to vet and identify solutions that meet the needs of an evolving threat landscape and operational environment.

New Technologies Rise to the Standards
What will team executives and arena operators need to do to meet the standards? Emerging vendors are utilizing the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, computer vision and other innovative technologies to make stadiums and arenas safer, while making the screening process faster, less intrusive and more convenient.

In 2022 and beyond, these new artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems will replace the traditional walk-through metal detector and provide a more proactive, advanced warning system – with better intelligence – to make stadium security staff more proactive and effective at each venue. These new systems will not only allow stadiums to meet stringent league requirements, but will also help make security staff, guest experience, marketing and overall operations more efficient during games.

Efficiency is important, because in the age of “the great resignation,” security teams are often short-staffed, so this new technology can also help stadium security directors to deploy their existing human resources as efficiently as possible. The new technology frees up time for staff to focus on interacting directly with offending fans as issues occur, rather than looking at dozens of security screens for hours.

The New Era = Safety and Convenience, Driven by Technology
More new-age, multi-billion-dollar “Experience” venues are being built right now, and fans are eager to get back to the energy and “buzz” that one can only experience at an in-person game. Along with this, we’ll see the term “fan experience” become increasingly important to teams and venues, and as ticket prices increase, fans will demand more from game day.

In recognition of this trend, professional teams have hired Chief Experience Officers to join their executive ranks, tasked with improving all aspects of the fan experience. Security is a key part of this equation, and a priority for professional sports leagues. New technology and industry standards can lead the way to better security and a better fan experience. This is a winning combination that can make game day the best it can be – for everyone.

Featured

  • Live From ISC West 2023: Day 1

    ISC West 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada, has officially begun! Make sure to keep an eye on Security Today’s ISCW Live 2023 page, as well as our associated Twitter accounts—@SecurToday and @CampusSecur—for the latest updates from the show floor at the Venetian Expo. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • It Happened Again

    Just yesterday (as of this writing), it happened again. A 28-year-old woman shot her way into a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday and killed three children and three adults, according to national news. AP News reports that the victims were three 9-year-old children, a top school administrator, a substitute teacher, and a school custodian Read Now

  • Let's Get to Work

    You are standing at the conference center doors just waiting to get into the exhibit hall. I know you are because I’m standing next to you. This week at ISC West has been three years in the making. Last year was encouraging, and here we are waiting for the Big Show. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Using Modern Technology

    Using Modern Technology

    Workplace violence is a serious and growing challenge for many organizations — including those in the healthcare industry. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key International has introduced its new mobile app, BIO-key MobileAuth™ with PalmPositive™ the latest among over sixteen strong authentication factors available for BIO-key's PortalGuard® Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform. 3

  • Videoloft Cloud Video Surveillance VSaaS Solution

    Videoloft Cloud Video Surveillance VSaaS Solution

    Videoloft focuses on transforming traditional professional surveillance systems into cloud connected solutions via the Videoloft Cloud Adapter. 3

  • SecureAuth

    SecureAuth

    The acceleration of digital transformation initiatives as a result of COVID-19 has created a lasting impact on how businesses empower their workforce and engage customers. 3