New Technology Enhances Event Security Safety

Source: sadlersports.com - New Technology Enhances Event Security Safety
Author: John Sadler

Game Changers

We all know about game changers. Sometimes it’s a certain player, or a momentum swing; or the venue or fans, and other times it’s an event that makes us stop and rethink our views on one particular topic or another. The bombings at this year’s Boston Marathon qualify as a game changer.

Increasing Event Security

Often times, it is a catastrophe that makes us reevaluate our priorities. In the case of the Boston Bombings, we have been forced to address our personal safety and the safety of participants at sporting events.

In attempts to strengthen event security at its football games, the NFL recently banned spectators from bringing in purses, coolers, backpacks and other miscellany. Some view this as overkill, while others view it as the natural evolution of ramped up security measures in a volatile setting.

The Tech Revolution

The technology boom is also helping to strengthen event security. While closed-circuit television is still the industry’s number one go-to, it is the use of cellphones that has been most beneficial in enforcing safety regulations at sporting events, and not just among event staff, but spectators as well.

Many venues advertise a number for spectators to text or call if other patrons become unruly or are acting suspicious, but did you know there are also apps available for reporting security issues? Fans may now anonymously submit complaints/observations using ISS 24/7 (or other) software. Hello, game changer!

In addition to security hotlines, social media has helped to police patrons at sporting events. People love Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Many sports teams and event management companies have learned to use these tools to their advantage and use their accounts to spread the word of inclement weather, evacuation notices and other pertinent information.

But smartphones are good for more than just checking your Twitter feed, they are also important in documenting fan behavior at games, both good and bad.  In a world where anyone can be famous on the internet, staying on your best behavior can mean the difference between YouTube fame and infamy.

Source:  Sports Destination Management; Sept./Oct. 2013; Safety and Security: Changing your game for the better, by Kelly Martin.

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