NCS⁴ Gameday Security – Summer 2021 Issue

ABOUT NCS4

CONTENTS

NCS4 is the nation’s only academic center devoted to the study and practice of spectator sports safety and security.

VISION🔗 We will be a leading partner with government, private sector, and sports and entertainment organizations to create and deliver critical resources for enhancing safety and security.

MISSION🔗 We will support the sports and entertainment industries through innovative research, training, and outreach programs. Our mission is realized by working closely with a diverse group of organizations and subject matter experts to better understand the threat environment, identify vulnerabilities, communicate risk-mitigation techniques, and close capability gaps.

The NCS collaborates with professional sports leagues, intercollegiate and interscholastic athletics, marathon and endurance events, entertainment facilities, as well as professional associations, private sector firms, and government agencies. It is a critical resource for sport venue managers, event managers, first responders, and other key stakeholders.

4

4 NCS4 UPDATE

A Note From the Executive Director, Dr. Stacey A. Hall

5 NCS4 TEAM 6 2021 NATIONAL ADVISORY

BOARD AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES

8 NCS4 IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS 9

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

14

UNITED WE STAND

20

LET’S RECONNECT IN PHOENIX

27

HITTING THEIR STRIDE

America’s Favorite Pastime Returns

Creating Cultures of Empowerment Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The NCS4 Team Gears Up for the 12th Annual National Conference

Road Races, Endurance and Obstacle Events

Adapt and Overcome Challenges

Full Speed Ahead

Q&A With IRONMAN’s John Bertsch

32

TECH CHECK

Enhancing the Fan Experience Through

Technology and Screening

36 CERTIFIED SPORT SECURITY PROFESSIONAL NEWS National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security 118 College Drive #5193 | Hattiesburg, MS 601-266-6183 | NCS4.USM.EDU

Learn How CSSP Certification Aids in Career

Development, New CSSPs, CSSP Commission

Officers, and Getting Certified

NCS4 UPDATE

A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dr. Stacey A. Hall Welcome to the summer 2021 edition of Gameday Security magazine!

I hope you enjoy the articles and informational pieces in this edition that provide insights into the return of spectators and patrons to venues and events, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the sporting world, and the utilization of technologies for operational efficiencies. We are all ready to be back in the stands cheering on our favorite team or artist, and a lot of prep work has been happening behind the scenes to ensure the safe return of fans.

The Center’s operations continued strong into 2021 and remained focused on our mission to support the sports and entertainment industries through innovative research, training, and outreach programs. Our staff has worked hard over the past six months to ensure we provide the highest quality programming and services to our stakeholders, including building new relationships with organizations and associations striving to move the industry forward. Some of our accomplishments are listed below: • Completed a successful 2020-2021 industry forum season, reaching over 500 participants from the professional and entertainment, collegiate, interscholastic, and marathon and endurance event industries.

• Formed a strategic partnership with world-renowned crowd science expert Professor Keith Still to offer a crowd safety management course in North America.

• Currently partnering with the DHS Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to develop a Touchless Security Screening Considerations Annex to supplement its Public Venue Security Screening Guide.

• DHS/FEMA/Texas A&M Engineering Extension (TEEX) courses will return to in-person in September, and a trainthe-trainer session is scheduled for August. The training team delivered over 30 courses virtually while unable to conduct in-person training.

• Virtual INTERPOL-Project Stadia training is slated for this fall, with in-person training to resume in 2022.

• First-ever Research Seminar Series was conducted in April and can be viewed here.

• Welcomed three new Technology Alliance members – S2 Global, Patriot One Technologies, and Intel.

• Made significant updates to the Certified Sports Venue Staff (CSVS) and Sports and Entertainment Personnel Training (SEPT) content and delivery platform for user-friendliness. We are happy to report that we have trained over 50,000 through these programs.

• Streamlined the Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) commission organization, updated the review course, and welcomed new leadership (see page 36-37).

• Partnered with International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) on an educational offering for their Academy for Venue Safety and Security Extension program.

• The educational and technology webinar series has reached over 4,000 participants, and sessions can be viewed here.

• Completed a Product Operational Exercise for XonarSafeTM – Xonar Technology Inc. Product reviews and operational exercise reports can be viewed here.

We thank our National Advisory Board and industry-specific Advisory Committees for their service and guidance during the past several months. We are very excited for the 12th annual conference to be held in person on November 9-10 in Phoenix with the support of our title sponsor, Aluma. I look forward to seeing you there to reconnect, reflect, and inspire the next steps!

We wish you a safe summer and one that is filled with events. l Kind Regards,

Stacey A. Hall, Ph.D. Executive Director of NCS4 and Professor of Sport Management

EXECUTIVE LEADER

MANAGEMENT TEAM William Adams Training Manager Michael Finley Curriculum Manager

Dr. Stacey A. Hall Executive Director of NCS4 and Professor of Sport Management

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM

Brooke Graves Training Manager Sonny Mattera Web Developer Mayra Ordonez Instructional Design Specialist Sara Priebe Event and Membership Manager Tymika Rushing Business Affairs Manager

Daniel Ward Director of Training & Exercise

Dr. Justin Kurland Director of Research

Lauren Cranford Director of Operations

Dr. Joslyn Zale Research Associate and CSSP Manager

THE TRENT LOTT NATIONAL CENTER, HOME OF NCS 4

STUDENT ASSOCIATES Olivia Hay Graduate Assistant Tyler Jacobs Graduate Assistant Andrew Jakab Volunteer Ryan Kavanaugh Graduate Assistant

The Trent Lott National Center, located on campus at The University of Southern Mississippi G A ME DA Y S E C UR IT Y | S UMME R 2 0 21

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2021 | NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

CO-CHAIRS: ANDREA CUNNINGHAM AND RICHARD FENTON Virginia Brophy Achman Twin Cities In Motion

Kirk Arthur

Gary Gardner

Microsoft

TOTALeACCESS, Inc.

Scott Breor

Department of Homeland Security

Andrea Cunningham The Walt Disney Company

Scott Dunn

Axis Communications

William Evans Boston College

Richard Fenton

Brian Finch

Michael Hughes

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Russ Simons

INTERPOL Washington

Venue Solutions Group

Eric Janssen

Barry Stanford

Intellitix Technologies, Inc., Xlive

Tim Gutierrez

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Cathy Lanier

AEG Worldwide

Paul Turner

National Football League

AT&T Stadium, Dallas Cowboys

Joe Lewis

Eddie Washington

Carol Haave

Live Nation Entertainment

Joe Lewis Company

Mike Harnett

Jim Mercurio

Ilitch Holdings, Inc.

San Francisco 49ers

Elliot Hopkins

National Federation of State High Schools Association

University of Michigan

Brian Young

Johnson Controls, Inc.

Larry Naifeh

University of Oklahoma

Ilitch Holdings, Inc.

Linda Reid

Walt Disney World

2021 | ADVISORY COMMITTEES PROFESSIONAL

CO-CHAIRS: BILLY LAGENSTEIN AND BARRY STANFORD John Ball

Mario Coutinho

Steve Beres

Philadelphia Phillies

Earl Biggett

Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Toronto Blue Jays

Sal DeAngelis

Brian Herbert

Golden State Warriors

Jim Hosfelt

Todd Letcher

New York Giants

Meredith Ley

Barry Stanford

John McKay

Jeff Stonebreaker

Dover International Speedway

Columbus Crew SC

Darren Johnson

New York Mets

Churchill Downs Racetrack

ASM Global Gila River Arena

Troy Brown

Rick Fenton

Ben Kinsey

NASCAR

Andrea Evans

Cleveland Browns

Ilitch Holdings, Inc.

Vernon Conaway

Mike Hartnett

Maryland Stadium Authority

Joe Coomer

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Detroit Red Wings/Detroit Tigers

J.P. Hayslip

Philadelphia Eagles

Kevin Henry

Detroit Lions

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Billy Lagenstein

National Football League

Melanie Lee

Major League Baseball (MLB)

Pocono Raceway

Bill Squires

Yankee Stadium

Angie Nix

AEG Worldwide MLS Soccer

Paul Turner

San Fransisco 49ers

Paul Turner Consulting

Daniel Noeker

Ben Williams

Alana Penza

Edmonton Oilers

New York Racing Association

Houston Astros

Jody Young

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Russ Simons

Venue Solutions Group

ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES

CO-CHAIRS: STEVE GEORGAS AND TIM SMITH Andrea Cunningham The Walt Disney Company

George Cunningham Rose Bowl Stadium

Michael Gerber Gila River Arena

Steve Georgas Chicago PD (Ret.)

Carol Haave

Live Nation Entertainment

Mike Harnett

Ilitch Holdings, Inc.

John Junell

Live Nation Entertainment

Jeff Keas Populous

Ruben Lechuga

Brian Murphy Navy Pier

John Pepper

The Hollywood Partnership

Metropolitan Nashville PD

Glenn Malpass

Joseph Scheper

Country Music Association

Gilbert Marroquin AEG Worldwide

McCormick Place

Tim Smith C3 Presents

Barry Stanford AEG Worldwide

Ed Warm

Joe’s Concerts/Windy City Smokeout

Tiana Weiler

McCormick Place

INTERCOLLEGIATE

CO-CHAIRS: JOE MONROE AND DREW PITTMAN David Allison

Matt Davidson

University of Texas

University of Nebraska

Jeff Bacon

Scott Dickson

Mid-American Conference

The Ohio State University

Kathryn Benda

The Pennsylvania State University

Andrew Burchfield

Laura Dyer

University of Maryland

Matt Elliott

University of Michigan

University of Alabama

Randy Buhr

Evan Feinglass

NCAA

University of Connecticut

Ryan Cakerice

David Hensgen

Orville Jennings

Brian Cordill

Lee Harris

University of California, Berkeley

Julie Cribbs

Byron Hatch

Louisiana State University

Southeastern Conference

Christie Purks

University of Georgia

Keith Kopinski

Nicholas Scull

University of Notre Dame

Georgia Southern University

Jason Meisner

Jeffery Stoll

Colorado State University

Grand Valley State University

Leigh Ann Moffett

Jason Weaving

Southern Methodist University

Boise State University

Joe Monroe

University of Tennessee

Kansas State University

Baylor University

University of Colorado

Mike Gregory

Duke University

Drew Pittman

University of Texas, El Paso

University of Kentucky

David Oliver

Western Kentucky University

Hatcher Parnell

University of Southern California

INTERSCHOLASTIC

CO-CHAIRS: GARY STEVENS AND BEN ROLENS Raymond Barnhart

Dale Hackbarth

Maryville Police Department

Ann Clifton

St. Marks School of Texas

Governor Livingston High School

Brett Coulter

Randy Councell

Cherry Creek Schools Cleveland Metropolitan School District Lamar County School District

Craig Straw Texas City ISD

Ben Rolens

Lonnie Tillman

Katy School District

Mississippi High School Association

Jack Sample

André Walker

National Federation of State High School Associations

Nettleton School District

Jim Inskeep

Fort Bend Independent School District

Carmel High School

Lamont Dodson

Wayne Folkes

Jay Hackett

Milton Academy

Elliot Hopkins

Maryville City Schools

Arthur O’Neal

Saginaw Public Schools

Larry Johnson

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Dena Scott

Houston ISD

William Watson

Urbandale Community School District

Danielle Stevens

Lake Zurich School District

Karyn McCoy

The Hockaday School

Gary Stevens

Thornton Academy

MARATHON AND ENDURANCE EVENTS

CO-CHAIRS: VIRGINIA BROPHY ACHMAN AND MIKE NISHI Virginia Brophy Achman

Carly Caulfield

Keith Hoover Disney Marathon

New York Road Runners

George Banker

The McCourt Foundation

Stacy Embretson

Michelle Juehring

Wade Morehead

John Bertsch

Little Rock Marathon

Mark Klukow

Mike Nishi

Twin Cities In Motion Army Ten Miler

IRONMAN World Championship

Christine Bowen Running USA

Houston Marathon

Mike Garrity Eddie Grant

City of Savannah

Greg Haapala

Grandma’s Marathon

Quad City Times Bix 7 Minneapolis Police

Kyle McLaughlin Tough Mudder, Inc.

Ted Metellus

New York Road Runners

Todd Metro

Houston Marathon

Bill Roberts

Twin Cities In Motion

Jan Seeley

Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon

Stuart Wall

Chicago Event Management

Boston Athletic Association

P.Z. Pearce

Tony Yamanka

Championship Sports Medicine

Bib Rave

G A ME DA Y S E C UR IT Y | S UMME R 2 0 21

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G AMEDAY SE CURI TY | SU M M ER 2 0 21

Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock.com

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

After the pandemic drastically altered Major League Baseball in 2020, America’s pastime returned in 2021 with many changes…but the same fan passion.

IT WAS THE CALL NO ONE SAW COMING. In mid-March 2020, Major League Baseball told everyone to go home.

For Ben Williams, he thought it was an opportunity to work from home for a few weeks while continuing season prep. As the Director of Security and Parking for the Houston Astros, Williams saw this as an opportunity to fine-tune processes and procedures. Then came the announcement that the season would be postponed.

“Honestly, it was very surreal. We’ve gone through certain incidents in our lives, such as 9/11 and other dramatic tragedies, but sports have always been a constant,” says Williams.

And while John McKay, the Executive Director of Security for the New York Mets, also never expected to deal with this type of scenario, there was a time when he never expected to be working in professional sports security.

In 2014, McKay was sitting poolside in Arizona, comfortably enjoying his recently started retirement after 25 years as a member of the New York Police Department when he got the call from the New York Mets to oversee security. Although he initially resisted, McKay decided to end his retirement after four days and start his next career in professional sports security.

Over the past eight years, McKay has built one of the strongest security programs in Major League Baseball, but McKay, like the rest of his peers, wasn’t prepared for the curveball that would be thrown his way in 2020 with the pandemic.

“In the beginning, nobody knew anything. We didn’t know if we were going to play in June or July,” admits McKay. “Once it was decided we would resume playing, it was great to finally get back to planning. We formed a task force and discussed how we were going to open the stadium and what security measures were going to be put in place.”

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME Among the measures being put in place included extensive safety protocols handed down by MLB to ensure the health of staff.

changes leading up to

“Some people were a bit hesitant to be working during the pandemic, so there were things we had to do in terms of restricted areas and restricted distancing, which required more of a micromanagement for my part, to make sure everything was going off smooth,” shares Williams.

Opening Day, and we

But that was only the beginning.

“There were a lot of

had to be very flexible and adaptive because things were coming at us pretty quickly.”

BEN WILLIAMS

A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER McKay and his team had to account for every scenario, starting with those personnel that were allowed at the stadium. McKay and team ultimately created a three-tiered approach – tiers one and two were players and staff, and tier three was non-essential employees. And then there was the issue of those who were not allowed at the stadium – fans.

“People think that if there are no fans, you don’t need security, but the complete opposite is true. We needed the exact same amount of people, security-wise, as we did when we’d have a full stadium,” McKay shares. “It was weird that I had to explain that we still needed this many people because we still have entries and exits, we have vulnerabilities in the stadium where, if we put our guards down, they’re going to attack us. And

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that was the same sentiment among everybody in the league.”

Citi Field

Editorial credit: David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com

To address those concerns, the Mets completely wrapped the exterior of Citi Field with a chain link fence to ensure there was a strong barrier between the public spaces and the stadium. Even though McKay estimates six people showed up all season outside the ballpark, he understands the impact even one single fan desperate for social media fame can have on a game.

A few hours southwest of Citi Stadium, Sal DeAngelis had similar concerns. Starting in 1994 as an usher for Philadelphia Phillies, DeAngelis has been a fixture at Veterans Stadium and now Citizens Bank Ballpark, working his way up to his current role as Director of Operations and Security for the Phillies.

“I thought people would come and just hang outside and tailgate. I thought it would be a much bigger event than it was,” DeAngelis admits. “We did have a small group of people who stood outside one of our gates where you could see into the ballpark.”

In addition to McKay’s concerns about fans being bored, stuck at home, and trying to get into the stadium, there was also the fear of the bored fan at home trying to access the stadium via drones too.

“It’s extremely dangerous, but everybody was home, so they were buying drones and attempting to fly them over stadiums to watch the games,” McKay shares. The practice comes with increased risk compared to other venues, as LaGuardia Airport is located down the street from Citi Field.

The presence of a drone detection system helped alert McKay and his team to the presence of drones, but that’s as far as the technology goes; it’s on his team to stop and disable the drone.

Fortunately, there were only a few incidents while the team was on the road.

In Philadelphia, drones are commonplace. DeAngelis estimates that the Phillies average a drone per day around Citizens Bank and the sports complex with the large number of sports fans and hobbyists, but none created security threats to the venue or games.

But the big question entering the 2021 season, would that change with fans being allowed back at games?

A FANTASTIC RETURN Williams was responsible for one of the only venues to host people during the 2020 season as Minute Maid Park played host to the National League Division Series. He estimates that, in addition to his security staff, he had approximately 10-12 percent of the event staff he’d normally have on game day.

When it was announced that stadiums could host a small percentage of its capacity for the 2021 season, Williams adjusted his staffing to 80 percent of its normal levels. In addition to staffing numbers and training, he also had to work with MLB and the City of Houston on health protocols.

“I think the biggest challenge was definitely the health protocols,” Williams says. “Are we taking temps? Are we doing health questionnaires? There were a lot of changes leading up to Opening Day, and we had to be very flexible and adaptive because things were coming at us pretty quickly.”

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME That meant effectively communicating to fan bases about those changes, including the new processes in the stadium, what the entry process is, and any additional restrictions or changes. The Astros, like all MLB teams, have a very strong digital platform, including social media, its website, and email and text communications, which it uses to push out updates.

Once the protocols were in place and properly Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock.com communicated to fans, Williams then made sure it was a positive experience for the fans once they arrived at the game.

“We were asking our fans to be in compliance with our health protocols before they enter the stadium. We didn’t want them stuck in line for 40-50 minutes to get into the ballpark,” shares Williams.

In Philadelphia, the initial capacity was 25 percent or 11,000 fans, which impacted staffing and screening lanes. DeAngelis shares that a normal gate would have 12 screening lanes, but under the revised protocol, there were only six. Physically distancing while queuing in lines was another concern. Despite the protocols, there were still many unknowns for DeAngelis, especially since the Phillies hosted one of the first games to be played on Opening Day on April 1.

“There were a couple of things I wasn’t sure about, like what time our fans would show up, how long would it take our fans to get in given the new security restrictions, and how fans would take to the mask policy,” shares DeAngelis.

He admits the biggest challenge early on for all 30 MLB teams was mask enforcement.

“Unfortunately, not everybody is pro mask, so we have a three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy. We understand that people may forget to put their mask back up, that’s understandable one or two times, but three times is a little excessive.” ”

“Unfortunately, not everybody is pro mask, so we have a three-strikesand-you’re-out policy. We understand that people may forget to put their mask back up, that’s understandable one or two times, but three times is a little excessive,” DeAngelis says.

SAL DEANGELIS

New York was initially much stricter, allowing only 7,900 fans into Citi Field one month into 2021, and every fan and fan-facing employee had to be tested for COVID-19 to gain entry. This required unique planning from McKay. “Luckily, we have a massive parking lot so we could separate the two – fan testing was done in the front of the house, and employee testing was in the back of the house,” says McKay, who shares that they handled the employee testing costs, but fans were required to pay for their own test within 72 hours of the game.

Many fans forgot they needed to get tested to be admitted per New York State law, a law that was eliminated by the Mets’ May 19 homestand. But a new challenge greeted McKay early in the season: how to manage vaccinated fans.

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Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros (Left) Editorial credit: Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock.com (Above) Editorial credit: Travel_with_me / Shutterstock.com

“Nobody in security has ever done that before; they don’t know how to validate a vaccination card,” he admits.

“I think fans were just glad to be back, and the majority understood that if they don’t follow the new rules, we could get shut down, and we’re back to square one again.”

But to McKay’s relief, fan reaction to the new policies and procedures was overwhelmingly positive.

“I think fans were just glad to be back, and the majority understood that if they don’t follow the new rules, we could get shut down, and we’re back to square one again,” says McKay. Williams agrees that fan response has been overwhelmingly positive and compares adjusting to the new protocols to 2014 when metal detectors were implemented.

“When we first deployed metal detectors in 2014, there was a concern,” Williams shares. “People weren’t going through a metal detector on a consistent basis, but they were happy we were adding another security measure to make sure they were safe. Our fans greatly appreciated it, and we’ve had a similar reaction from our fans to the health protocols we’ve implemented.”

JOHN MCKAY

While reduced capacity has allowed sports security professionals to effectively manage mask enforcement so as not to hurt the fan experience, one perhaps unexpected issue of the smaller attendance has been more aggressively vocal attendees.

“Some fans have realized they can be heard now, so we have had some issues recently with fans being obnoxious, screaming at players, and saying things they know will be picked up on TV. This is a family place, and we don’t want people crossing the line and being verbally abusive to players or fans,” McKay shares.

But overall, despite a year in isolation, fans have returned to MLB stadiums eager to support their teams in this new environment. And even though the return to play has been much drastically altered for fans, they have shown, like every sports security professional during the pandemic, they are more than willing to adapt and be flexible too. l

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UNITED WE STAND

Acknowledging and addressing the diversity, equity and inclusion, and mental health gaps in the sports community is critical to achieving sustainable growth.

WHEN CHRISTINA GEORGAS FIRST JOINED Kaleidoscope Group in 1993, a full-service diversity, equity, and inclusion firm in Chicago, the work focused heavily on creating awareness. Over those first 15 years at Kaleidoscope, the now Chief Operating Officer noted people initially were interested in simply trying to stay out of trouble and not cause any problems.

But then a much-needed shift occurred.

“What we started to realize through a lot of research, academics, and studies from all different credible sources is that diversity and inclusion really added value to bottom-line results, greatly contributing to innovation in organizations,” says Georgas. “The goal then became how do we start to value and leverage people of all backgrounds and differences. We all know that workplaces are better when they have more diversity and when there’s an inclusive culture in place; but sometimes people don’t show up as effectively as we or they want when biases get in the way.”

Recognizing this challenge, Georgas has been working with many organizations on identifying and then managing that bias in relationships and systems, and then incorporating the necessary strategic pillars to support inclusion and ultimately create cultures of empowerment that lead to success and winning.

“What we started to realize through a lot of research, academics and studies...is that diversity and inclusion really added value to bottom-line results, greatly contributing to innovation in organizations.”

CHRISTINA GEORGAS

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UNITED WE STAND “It is important that everybody not just feel included, but actually feel like they’re empowered to achieve their potential and be great, highly engaged contributors in an organization,” Georgas adds.

But there is no one-size-fits-all approach — understanding the nuances is critical.

“There are a number of implicit biases at work, and those are painful when they manifest in behavior that flies in the face of inclusion.”

DR. KARISSA NIEHOFF

Addressing cultural diversity on the professional and even intercollegiate levels is much different than addressing cultural diversity on the interscholastic level, where geographic, economic, and cultural differences vary greatly from state to state.

STATE OF EMERGENCY A lack of diversity in a community can result in a natural lack of exposure and education. This creates challenges for students to understand the impact of national, cultural events on their oftenisolated communities.

“Without having diversity in your immediate environment, there’s not a lot of natural learning that takes place. Then in more populated areas where there is an enormous amount of diversity in the

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community, you have a socioeconomic gap, so equity becomes an issue,” shares Dr. Karissa Niehoff, Executive Director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). “And then in terms of inclusion challenges, there is a range of understanding about what inclusion means. It’s not just students with physical disabilities; we’re talking about inclusion for all kids.”

underserved communities, minority populations, and what their reality of life truly is about,” Dr. Niehoff shares.

Perhaps the most uncomfortable conversation to have is the one that people have been slowest to truly recognize – the impact mental health is having on the sports community.

One of the hottest inclusion topics on the high school level involves transgender athletes, with people battling on both sides what should be allowed and what MENTALLY TOUGH shouldn’t be allowed. As of the 2021 state legislative sessions, 34 states are considering banning transgender The perception has always been that all girls from playing on girls’ interscholastic sports teams, athletes, regardless of age, are mentally with Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, South Dakota, tough and should be able to overcome and Idaho voting to turn those bans into law. all obstacles. But the stress and pressure to perform while being mentally tough “There are a number of implicit biases at work, and has contributed to a decline in youth and those are painful when they manifest in behavior that interscholastic athletic participants. And for flies in the face of inclusion,” adds Dr. Niehoff, noting that a universal lack of education is also playing a role in those who do continue competing through interscholastic to intercollegiate and even these biases. professional levels, that stress to perform doesn’t go away.

For example, COVID-19 has created additional emotional and mental challenges for students. As a result, school-based programming has been under the microscope as schools identify and then resolve any gaps in essential programming.

“We’ve got to get over this notion that including everybody might somehow impact winning and losing.

There is a lot of learning that needs to be done,” Dr. Niehoff says.

To assist in that educational process, NFHS has created the minority inclusion program, which is meant to help member state associations continually improve their efforts to be culturally proactive and have diverse workplaces. The toolkit includes strategies for identification, recruitment, and inclusion of minorities, as well as steps to create environments that retain minorities and manage people of diverse backgrounds.

NFHS also recently launched an implicit bias course.

“We’re really ramping up efforts to have conversations that are rough about the realities for kids from

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“Mental health is a safety and security issue, and we have to start talking about it like that,” explains Dr. Niehoff. “We have to be educated about what’s going on in a young person’s head from a growth perspective and address unhealthy athletic environments. Youth sports are the worst abusers as they are unregulated and uneducated and solely revenue-based, but even at the collegiate level, you have student-athletes struggling with suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety – all of that is mental health.”

In addition to an increased recognition of an athlete’s mental challenges, the athlete needs to adapt one of the toughest skills to learn – resiliency.

Dr. Kimberly Miller specializes in resiliency and has worked with law enforcement and

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UNITED WE STAND

“We’re taught to read and write, but nobody teaches us how to live, how to build resilience, or how to maintain a positive mindset.”

DR. KIMBERLY MILLER

public safety agencies since 2004 on how to develop that inner strength that many may not have realized existed within them.

“None of us are born with resilience, but we are born with character strength,” notes Dr. Miller. “But let’s be honest, change is hard. The older we get, the more stuck in our ways and the more stuck in our thinking we get. Resilience is a skill you can develop like any other skill, but you have to do it all the time.”

and history and doing things the way they’ve always been done have been a hurdle for diversity and inclusion, and sports are no exception.

Nearly 20 years ago, the National Football League implemented the Rooney Rule, named for Dan Rooney, the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and former chairman of the league’s diversity committee. The rule required teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching or senior roles.

While the rule was praised as a step in the right direction, some question the actual impact it has made: In 2020, there were the same number of African-American head coaches in the NFL as there were in 2003 when the Rooney Rule was enacted – three.

“I think sports organizations are trying to stay current and meet the ever-changing demands of the world right now internally COVID-19 has only added to mental challenges as and externally,” Georgas shares. “They student-athletes who depended on activities and want to maintain or even enhance a sports had to watch their seasons be either canceled or diverse fan base and win with diverse dramatically altered. players, but do it in a way where they can build a new tomorrow while honoring the Dr. Miller works with many organizations, including things that serve them well, but the key school districts, and teaching those organizations how to be resilient and bounce back from adversity has never will be connected to stopping the things that don’t. That’s the reckoning that been more important than it is today. sports have going on right now.”

“These last 12 months, everybody had mental health Not only do sports organizations need to problems. We just went through a pretty extraordinary consider the past with its fans, but it must time in our history that we had never faced before, also consider new challenges for its fan and having this extra pressure has been overwhelming base, specifically, how the past year may for many,” says Dr. Miller. “We’re taught to read and have impacted the mental wellness of its write, but nobody teaches us how to live, how to build fans. resilience, or how to maintain a positive mindset.”

TIME FOR CHANGE For many people and organizations, it all comes back to a mindset that’s stuck in neutral. Longstanding tradition

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“Some fans are going to love you, and some are going to hate you because they’re going to push back against things being 100 percent back to normal. They

could have attitude, and they could be easy to set off,” says Dr. Miller. “And security professionals, they’ve gone through the same things fans went through during the pandemic. They have their own trauma and stress and need to be aware of where they are mentally.”

Be it diversity, inclusion, equity, or mental health, there is one common theme everyone must embrace, real change requires unity among every community.

“It’s not like only certain groups are important to this process. The best way for us to all get to a better place is to help each other do it,” Georgas adds. “And if we can start to get to a place where we get away from cancel culture to a culture of empowerment and unity, then we’re going to really be on to something.” l

NCS4 PARTNERS WITH WORLDRENOWNED CROWD EXPERT TO PROVIDE ONLINE COURSE The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) and GKStill International have partnered together to jointly offer the Fundamentals of Crowd Safety online E-Learning course to address capability gaps in crowd behavior and sciences.

DR. G. K. STILL, Professor of Crowd Science at Manchester University, developed this certified, accredited course. The course offers an 8-hour online interactive experience designed to teach the essential elements of crowd safety and crowd risk analysis.

The course is especially valuable to event organizers, as it ensures that those who complete it are compliant with the NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code — specifically, the areas of section 12

of the code that require a venue to provide a crowd manager trained in crowd management techniques for occupancies exceeding 1,000.

Professor Still commented, “We are delighted to launch our new partnership with the NCS4, the U.S.’s leading academic institution in this field. Our partnership will contribute to a broader application of crowd safety and crowd science in the U.S. market to help ensure safer and more secure venues.”

The NCS4 is the U.S.’s only academic center devoted to the study and practice of spectator sports safety and security. Professor Dr. G.K. Still is the world’s leading expert in crowd science. He is the founder of GKStill International and has consulted for leading venues around the world. His training system is also used by multiple international police forces.

For more information or to register for the course, click the button below.

FIND OUT MORE

LET’S RECONNECT IN PHOENIX REGISTRATION IS OPEN for exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees for the 12th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition to be held on November 9-10 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix. The conference theme is Reconnect. Reflect. Inspire., and we are thankful for the support of Title Sponsor, Aluma.

The conference will provide 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.”

In addition to keynote speakers, an awards luncheon, and interactive panel discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to attend breakout sessions, explore emerging technologies, and network with peers during the conference.

Dr. Stacey A. Hall, NCS4 Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management, said, “We are looking forward to reconnecting with our industry friends and partners. Much has been learned over the past year regarding policies, procedures, and technological solutions to ensure the safety of fans, participants, and staff as we return to live events.

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The conference serves as a vehicle to share this knowledge and proven practices and address rising industry issues.”

“The conference helps cross-discipline practitioners hear about the experiences, trials, and challenges others have already worked through. They can understand the why behind the process and interact with those involved,” said Jeff Stonebreaker, VP Safety and Security, MLS Soccer. “It is also important to stay current with trends and challenges in the industry. Moreover, success and growth is about relationships and helping each other.”

To unwind after the conference, attendees can explore the 316-acre resort and surrounding the Sonoran Desert. The resort features five swimming pools, a spa, and two championship golf courses. It is surrounded by desert vistas and mountain views with opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, and outdoor shopping nearby.

REGISTER NOW

Additional information will be released soon, including topics, agenda, and speaker bios. Early-bird registration is available through Sept. 1 with fees of $500 for NCS4 Connect members and $535 for non-members.

Prices will increase by $50 after Sept. 1.

Visit ncs4.usm.edu/conference to register or for more information. l

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EXHIBITORS

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CALL FOR EXHIBITORS THE NCS4 IS NOW ACCEPTING EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS. The Exhibit Hall is filling up, and so are the sponsorships. Please contact Sara Priebe, Event and Membership Manager, at Sara.Priebe@usm.edu or 601-266-6858 to request a sponsorship packet, or register as an exhibitor online.

REGISTER AS AN EXHIBITOR

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A panel of judges reviews all applications to determine the most compelling projects. Selected entries have the opportunity to present case studies during the National Conference. The winning submission will be selected as the 2021 Golden Eagle Award recipient at the awards luncheon, which also takes place during the National Conference.

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HITTING THEIR STRIDE After the pandemic dramatically altered racing in 2020, road races, endurance, and obstacle events are rebounding.

TWIN-CITIES IN MOTION Executive Director Virginia Brophy Achman has prepared for virtually every scenario via one of the industry’s most popular safety and security preparedness tools, the tabletop. Bomb threats, active shooters, weather, protests – no potential threat had been overlooked.

Or so Achman and her fellow race directors thought.

“There had never been anything like this before; this is something none of us had done a tabletop for, but we knew it was going to have a long-lasting impact,” shares Achman, who rallied the Minnesota running industry and created a task force by the summer. That group consisted of event organizers, timers, stores – anyone in the running industry across Minnesota.

“If you had asked me before COVID if we would be as tight as we are now, I don’t know if I would’ve said yes, but now we are all supporting each other and sharing best practices,” Achman adds. “If there’s a positive in all of this, it’s that we’ve formed a great alliance together to support one another.”

Across the world, task forces were assembled to determine how endurance events could safely return, something deemed as critical, especially at a time when the world needed the outlet of endurance events now more than ever.

But as the process wore on and the months started to pass, people began to accept the previously unthinkable – there would be no races in 2020.

“If there’s a positive in all of this, it’s that we’ve formed a great alliance together to support one another.”

VIRGINIA BROPHY ACHMAN

“When we realized 2020 was not going to be viable for our events to happen, we shifted our focus and attention to laying the groundwork for a strong 2021,” says Tough Mudder CEO Kyle McLaughlin. But equally important, McLaughlin, Achman, and other endurance event leaders looked at alternative ways to keep their communities engaged. “In addition to looking to return to live events, we invested a lot in our digital products and content and some new business verticals that we had spun up in the meantime.”

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HITTING THEIR STRIDE THE RACE TO ADAPT The racing community continually strived to create new avenues for their customers and communities to satisfy their need to compete and embrace some sense of normalcy. And no endurance event is quite as unique as Tough Mudder.

“People don’t race Tough Mudder; they participate. It’s about helping each other and getting through this challenging experience together,” McLaughlin notes.

“When COVID hit, it’s something our communities have been training for as they’re used to overcoming obstacles and getting through challenging adversity as a larger unit.”

As a result, Tough Mudder launched its Help A Hundred campaign, which McLaughlin describes as a way to motivate people to give back to their communities by helping a hundred people with a hundred acts of kindness.

This included turning Tough Mudder t-shirts into face coverings, checking in on seniors, and feeding those who couldn’t afford to feed themselves.

And it meant creating virtual fitness experiences.

“These were multi-week fitness challenges that kept people focused on their mental and physical health,” McLaughlin shares. “We saw an overwhelmingly positive response; over 25,000 people participated in our virtual fitness challenges.”

From 25,000 to 250, Achman took a smaller level approach to satisfy the need to stay active. After working with the Department of Health on guidelines and how Twin Cities In Motion could get back up and running, it was determined that the magic number was 250. Last Summer, it was determined Minnesota could hold a basic race if it kept the number of participants under 250.

Thus, the MNy 250 was born. The mini-events allow runners to keep training, get a timed result on an accurate course, and cross a physical finish line – all in a safe environment that complies with local, state, and federal guidelines.

Achman also transitioned some of the core events from

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“When COVID hit, it’s something our communities have been training for as they’re used to overcoming obstacles and getting through challenging adversity as a larger unit.”

KYLE MCLAUGHLIN Editorial credit: Glynnis Jones / Shutterstock.com

live to virtual, creating fun opportunities for participants.

These quarterly virtual events include virtually visiting state parks, something that not only resonated with the racing community but corporations as well.

“These virtual challenges have given companies an opportunity to give their employees something in the wellness space that doesn’t require them to convene but allows them to engage their employees while they’re at home,” Achman shares.

Even with the return of live events, Achman still sees virtual races remaining an important part of racing’s future.

“If you’re from Minnesota but don’t live here anymore and still want to be a part of it, you can still participate,” says Achman. “And the residuals of this pandemic are going to last another six to 12 months, maybe longer. And there are going to be people who are not comfortable being in large groups, so we want to continue to offer virtual events to keep our customers engaged with us.”

While the endurance event community has done a masterful job supplementing the thirst for competition with fun alternatives, the focus for everyone has always been on returning to live settings.

RUNNERS, TAKE YOUR MARK “We had all sorts of scenarios and eventualities and a plan we were very confident in now to get people back to live events,” McLaughlin admits. “It was then about being able to take that plan and get customers comfortable in it and get many of the local municipalities that we work with comfortable with it.”

The vision became a reality on April 24, 2021, when Tough Mudder hosted its first live event. More than 5,000 participants came out for the event in Atlanta despite

hazardous weather conditions that included torrential rain as well as the new safety protocols.

“People were very compliant with the safety measures we have in place that we didn’t really have to ask or enforce things like facial coverings and social distancing.

They were really respectful, and we couldn’t have been more pleased and impressed with how everything turned out,” says McLaughlin, noting that more than 80 percent of Atlanta participants were people who’d never participated in a Tough Mudder event.

“I’m optimistic about the future, and I see a new boom in endurance events coming right around the corner as we climb out of COVID,” McLaughlin adds, noting that there are 19 more live events planned in 2021.

Meanwhile in Minnesota, Twin Cities In Motion will host a Women Run the Cities race in July that will accommodate up to 2,500 runners. The event will ultimately be a practice for the Twin-Cities Marathon in October, which will be held with only half its normal runner capacity as well as other changes.

“There will be no beer garden, no activations, and experiences. You’re just basically going to run your race and then celebrate at home with your family,” Achman says.

Despite the modifications, all 4,000 available registrations were taken within one month of registration opening on April 6. And like Tough Mudder, social distancing and mask mandates will be in place for each live event, but even with the masks, Achman knows there will be big smiles underneath.

“The runners we’ve seen are just so happy to be back,” she adds. “You can’t see the smiles under their mask, but you can see it in their eyes, and they’re just grinning from ear to ear to be back together in that community.” l

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FULL SPEED AHEAD

How John Bertsch and the IRONMAN kept its head above water and hosted 63 events during the pandemic.

GAMEDAY SECURITY recently sat down with John Bertsch, Executive Director of Global Safety and Security for IRONMAN Group, to discuss how IRONMAN has safely held 63 events during the pandemic.

The pandemic began impacting endurance events in March 2020, with many getting postponed or even canceled. How did COVID-19 initially impact the IRONMAN events?

For us, it was more of a yellow flag than a full stop for our season. I remember I was in Tampa in February at our North America leadership conference, and our CEO asked me about the epidemic because it wasn’t a pandemic at that time. Everything we had heard was that this was just a bad flu, and we thought we would see some light at the end of April. But 10 days after the Tampa meeting, I was flying to Spain, and the impact and the acceleration of the global impact to our brand were enormous. But we monitored the situation and different regions, and we did our best to try and keep races up and running.

What were some of those things that you did to keep races up and running?

The first thing we had to do was wrap our heads around what was happening with the pandemic. There was a lot of misinformation out there. We weighed every single report of how it would impact people in groups and what were going to be our next mitigation steps. In 2017, we established

the IRONMAN Global Medical Advisory Board, which is a group of physicians and practitioners from all around the world. We lean heavily on them, and we’ve become armchair epidemiologists, working with the World Health Organization with their sports sector along with the CDC.

In adherence to WHO standards, what specifically did you reevaluate?

We went back and looked at every single aspect of how we greet, interact, transfer and touch all our athletes and volunteers, and ran an exercise with some of the talented team that we have around the world and determined that we could reduce that risk well over 97 percent in doing touchless registration and screening, QR codes, individually wrapped food products, field water, that kind of stuff. And we compelled our athletes to become more self-sufficient.

This transcended our full portfolio of events – triathlon, mountain biking, marathons – and ultimately led to us putting together and offering our Return to Racing program, which was instrumental in guiding our staff and athletes and provided ammunition to our venues that we could put on a safe and effective race.

“Stay positive, test negative, race on.”

JOHN BERTSCH

HITTING THEIR STRIDE

How did your global dashboard further empower you to have confidence in hosting events?

Having the resources and the support of our leadership, we were able to put together a global dashboard that pulled in the data points from Johns Hopkins University. Collaborating with Johns Hopkins, we can pull in real-time statistics that are posted at any venue in any country worldwide. We also marry that with our CRM, which is our athlete database. We know exactly where they live, and so we aggregate the total number of people from a certain area that might be traveling to a particular event. And we can see what the COVID rate is at that location. Then we get a perspective from each of our race directors in a venue, and we marry all that data together to create a risk and threat matrix, utilizing all that information. It’s a huge amount of data points, and it was a big learning curve, but I can show what’s happening with the virus in any region, and now it even provides real-time updated vaccination data.

How many events have you hosted in 2020-2021?

In 2020, we hosted 40 events, and so far in 2021, we’ve hosted 23 in-person events for a total of 63 events since the pandemic started. And we’ve had zero reported adversity or adverse effects related to the pandemic.

What have your events looked like during the pandemic?

We do temperature checks, require masks, provide sanitation stations and social distance. Those basic tenets have been super effective. People know and understand it, and they appreciate it. Also, we do rolling starts and no longer do mass starts, and based on that phased approach, we don’t see the big numbers with family and friends watching the athletes. But really, there’s no optimum environment for transmitting any virus, and a recent study noted that there’s 0.00001 to 0.00008 percent chance of catching the virus at any of these events. As we like to say, stay positive, test negative, race on.

THE IRONMAN GLOBAL DASHBOARD

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TECH CHECK

How sports venues can incorporate the latest screening and digital technologies to enhance the fan experience, even during a pandemic.

IN 2015, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL made the decision to implement screening systems at the entrances of each stadium to enhance perimeter security. Initial results were murky, at best. There were lines reportedly up to an hour-long to get inside a stadium, with some national media such as The Washington Post referring to this change as “security theater” and nothing more than an obstruction to the fan experience.

Gradually, that perception started to change, and fans grew more accepting of the necessary security measure. Eventually, the inclusion of metal detectors reached large outdoor sporting events, such as marathons and golf tournaments, and as the adoption became more commonplace, those lines grew shorter, and the fan experience remained high with increased peace of mind entering a sporting event.

And then came the pandemic.

The majority of sporting events in 2020 were played in empty stadiums and arenas, requiring minimal use of metal detectors. But 2021 and the return of fans brought back a familiar challenge – long lines, thanks to social distancing rules that required fans to maintain six feet of distance.

“Even though there aren’t longer lines now, companies like mine looked for ways to implement technology that can address new threats while making the experience even better,” shares Melissa Odegaard, Director of Marketing for S2 Global, a leading provider of state-of-the-art screening solutions for inspection and security.

SCREEN PASS While the screening of fans didn’t create the issues some may have predicted, the pandemic revealed some issues with adding new protocols.

“After we solved adding health checks to events, we got to work implementing protocols for rapid technology deployment,” shares Odegaard. “An issue for stadiums is inspecting people and goods for newly developed threats. We have the capability to integrate data from other systems at the stadium.

By doing so, we can workflow security with existing systems and rapidly add new technology with management from one interface.”

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2021 | SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE MEMBERS

TECH SAVVY This worked well when adding new health check technology during the pandemic.

“For example, adding a health check to entry points was an easy add-on for our customers, and we are now bringing other systems into the flow such as credentialing, access, and vehicle screening,” Odegaard adds.

In larger multi-venue events, managing all the security aspects from a command center helps the security team have access to the right data at the right time.

“You can have a process where the vendor or fan is connected by their credential, and that credential is connected to the access system, a vehicle entry system, and an event-wide camera system, all managed from the command center,” adds Odegaard. “This smooth operational flow now allows for screening at all times at the stadium.”

The challenge, of course, is ensuring everything does flow smoothly, which can be incredibly tough when preparing for an event where 100,000 fans will be fighting to get into a college football stadium.

“You can’t just add equipment to solve a problem.

You have to figure out how to make it easy for people, whether they’re a delivery driver or a fan, to get in and out securely, without impeding their journey at every step,” shares Odegaard. “And to do that, you have to integrate your systems. You have to create a workflow using risk and results, so everyone knows what to do in case of an escalation.”

This means engaging with people using the tech.

“We had no issues with people using the new health check; in fact, they appreciated the non-intrusive solution,” Odegaard says.

TECH IN A PANDEMIC Prior to the pandemic, event managers and stadium operators focused heavily on improving the fan experience – and leveraging technology was a key part of doing that, even for the defending World Series champions.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers were looking to reduce complexity and become more technology-centric

“Technology can help fans plan when to leave for the event, the best route to take, and guide them to a parking spot. Then once they enter the venue, technology can be used to improve that experience with online/in-seat ordering, wayfinding and immersive experiences throughout.”

JUSTIN CHRISTIANSON

Meanwhile, venues like the Atlantic City Convention Center are utilizing artificial intelligence to address its COVID-19 challenges. The Atlantic City Convention Center worked with Intel, Cisco, and WaitTime to use AI technology for crown intelligence to ensure the necessary capacity and social distancing requirements were followed, in addition to reducing the need for visitors to wait in line, according to Christianson.

And beyond communication, technology has also played a critical role in keeping fans, players, and staff healthy and safe.

Editorial credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com

to allow them to reprioritize their focus on the fan experience,” shares Justin Christianson, General Manager, IoT Platform and Solution Sales, Intel.

“Working with Intel and Cisco, they deployed new systems for ticketing, business analytics and baseball analytics that improved speed and responsiveness, simplify day-to-day operations and help the Dodgers make decisions in near real-time on and off the field.”

A smarter approach to operations management was especially critical as venues reopened, and fans returned.

And that required both an old and new approach.

When fans were returning to sporting events under COVID-19 protocols, teams, schools, and organizations relied on old-school signage to ensure fans understood and adhered to the new protocols. But that method, while still effective, was secondary to the most effective form of communication, digital.

“We have so many handheld technologies that it’s most effective to notify fans this way about how to get into an event and what the expectations are. You can be communicating with people way upfront about what the expectations are and what to prepare for as they get to an event,” Odegaard shares. “I think that one huge key is integrating those communication tools with the fans.”

S2 Global, for example, has been working with every PGA event on temperature screening. With its CertScan technology, people walk by the temperature detection system, and if there is an irregularity, that individual is then sent to a secondary screening. And if there is further issue, S2 Global’s COVID-testing application can quickly segregate the data and then share that with the event provider.

“We’re not stopping people from coming in and out of an event. We’re taking their temperature with a walk-by system. Then the only time we need to actually have their information is if a high temperature is recorded manually,” says Odegaard.

Looking ahead, technology is going to play an even bigger role in protecting fans, players, and staff, with safety and health at the top of every event security professional’s checklist.

“The top priority is creating a safe and healthy space for fans to enjoy their favorite sports or concerts. We are also thinking about the fan experience from the moment they leave their homes to when they arrive at the venue, enjoy the event and head back home,” Christianson shares.

“For example, technology can help fans plan when to leave for the event, the best route to take and guide them to a parking spot. Then once they enter the venue, technology can be used to improve that experience with online/in-seat ordering, wayfinding and immersive experiences throughout.” l G A ME DA Y S E C UR IT Y | S UMME R 2 0 21

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THE CERTIFIED SPORTS SECURITY PROFESSIONAL (CSSP) WHY SEEK CERTIFICATIONS? Certifications show that a person has demonstrated commitment to understanding and developing in a profession. For an employer, a certification is indicative that an employee or prospect has met a standard of competence. In fact, many employers prefer or require employees to obtain certifications.

The benefits of becoming professionally certified include: • Demonstrating profession commitment • Creating a foundation for broad and deep understanding • Connecting with a strong network of peers

• Increasing earning potential • Establishing a competitive advantage during job searches • Creating opportunities for career advancement

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CSSP? Professionals working in sports safety and security are expected to have a firm grasp of public safety measures and understand how to apply those competencies in the unique environments created by entertainment venues and events. The NCS4 established the Certified Sport Security Professional program to advance the sports safety and security industry by validating expertise in the following domains: • Business and Facility Management • Emergency Planning • Emergency Management

• Legal and Regulatory • Crowd Management • Security Principles and Practices

The program recognizes individuals who meet education and experience criteria, and demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and ability to successfully apply safety and security measures to venues and events.

HOW DOES THE CSSP BENEFIT YOU? In addition to the personal and professional benefits associated with earning a certification, current CSSPs are invited to take advantage of a complimentary NCS4 membership and connect with their peers in a private CSSP LinkedIn Group. Those certified are also encouraged to participate in NCS4 training and outreach programs, where they can publish articles, share their knowledge through education and panel opportunities, and assist in providing resources to the sports safety and security industry.

To learn more about the CSSP program, visit our website or contact Dr. Joslyn Zale, Research Associate and CSSP Manager, at Joslyn.Zale@usm.edu, or 601-266-6867.

Those being recognized received their CSSP between October 2020 and June 2021.

McKinley Coffin Jr., CSSP

Chief of Police, New Smyrna Beach Police Department

Joey Leon, CSSP Security Manager, Monumental Sports and Entertainment

David Lassiter, CSSP

Director of Stadium Security, Miami Dolphins

Christopher Perry, CSSP

Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

James Seagle, CSSP

Director of Safety and Security, Atlanta Police Department

VIEW ALL CURRENT CSSP CERTIFICANTS

NCS4 WISHES TO THANK outgoing CSSP Commission Chair John Bertsch for his leadership and service during his term (2019-2021). He quickly switched focus from creating CSSP outreach programs to spearheading COVID-19 program adaptations. NCS4 welcomes the incoming Chair, Andy Burchfield, and Vice-Chair, Jeff Stonebreaker, and looks forward to their leadership in 2021-2023. Andy served as the Vice-Chair from 2019-2021.

GET C ER TIF IED

TAKE THE CSSP EXAM AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE THIS FALL

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT HOW EARNING THE CSSP CERTIFICATION HAS HELPED IN THEIR CAREER: “Being a part of an organization that at one time had nine CSSP Certified members created a wealth of knowledge and experience for our team. NCS4 and their CSSP Program has assisted in creating great leaders within our security staff.”

– RAY, CSSP “The CSSP certification has been very beneficial for my career development. This certification has provided me with a knowledge base in security measures that has given me a clear advantage regarding preferred qualifications for career advancement opportunities.”

– KEITH, CSSP “Protecting our sports and entertainment venues requires highly-skilled professionals who can demonstrate a deep and diverse understanding of safety and security best practices, legal and regulatory requirements, facility and business operations, existing and emerging technologies, and complex crowd management scenarios. The CSSP is your differentiator to demonstrating a mastery of these critical skill sets and your commitment and value to the safety and security profession.”

– ANDY, CSSP “Working in the academic environment, it’s not what you have done. It’s what you are doing.

CSSP tests your knowledge then requires you to remain current in the field.”

– JAY, CSSP

THE CSSP EXAMINATION will be offered with no testing fee to eligible candidates on Tuesday, November 9, during the 12th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition.

To be considered eligible to take the exam, individuals must complete and submit their CSSP application, including the application fee, by September 1, 2021, to allow enough time for the NCS4 Certification Department to collect and process all supporting documentation. Approved candidates will receive a notification of test eligibility before arriving at the conference.

SUBMIT YOUR CSSP APPLICATION SIGN UP TO TAKE THE CSSP EXAM

NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAM? Download the CSSP Candidate Handbook, which provides a list of study references. It also explains the initial certification and recertification processes and other CSSP policies and procedures.

DOWNLOAD THE CSSP CANDIDATE HANDBOOK

TAKE THE CSSP REVIEW COURSE The Review Course covers the six knowledge domains of the CSSP exam. Each module provides participants with a renewed understanding of the terms, rules, principles, concepts, and procedures applicable to the work performed by sport safety and security professionals. A set of practice test questions is provided to help you identify areas for further study and assess your readiness to take the actual exam. Please note that completing the Review Course does not guarantee that you will pass the exam, nor does it cover all of the exam material.

PURCHASE THE REVIEW COURSE Visit the website for more information. Contact Joslyn Zale, Research Associate and CSSP Manager, at Joslyn.Zale@usm.edu or 601-266-6867 with any questions.

THE NCS4 IS ACCEPTING TRAINING REQUESTS FOR DHS/FEMA COURSES Seven DHS/FEMA-funded safety and security courses are available throughout the U.S. E-mail NCS4train@usm.edu to make a request or click anywhere to learn more.

These courses represent a cooperative effort between The University of Southern Mississippi’s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (USM/ NCS4) and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service’s National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (TEEX/NERRTC), a member of the Texas A&M University System.

NCS4 Webinar Series THE NCS4 OFFERS A FREE EDUCATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGY WEBINAR SERIES covering timely topics and resources. Webinars are streamed live and feature presenters from different sectors of the sports safety and security industry. Announcements for new webinars are communicated via social media and the NCS4 newsletter. The NCS4 website houses a repository of past webinars to view on-demand. Visit the website to see what’s available now.

NCS4.USM.EDU/events/webinars

The NCS4 is always looking for new ideas for the series. If you have an idea or represent a company that wants to partner with us on a webinar, please reach out to Daniel Ward, Director of Training and Exercise, at Daniel.L.Ward@usm.edu.

Join the top safety and security professionals in the industry when you become a member of NCS4 Connect.

MEMBERS SAVE $35 ON CONFERENCE As a member you receive: • Special pricing for forums and conference • Access to the online membership directory • Ability to communicate directly with other members, and more!

Several options for membership are available. Visit the website to learn more.

NCS4.USM.EDU/membership

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