As Major League Baseball's (MLB) eagerly anticipated Opening Day approaches, a new wave of security measures is set to revolutionise safety at stadiums. Ten MLB teams are preparing to welcome millions of fans with the assistance of advanced security screening provided by Evolv, a company known for its innovative AI-based technologies.
Evolv's Express® system, a pioneering weapons detection tool, utilises sensor technology combined with artificial intelligence to effectively distinguish between weapons and benign metal objects typically carried by individuals. Since its debut in 2019, Evolv Express has screened over a billion people at various venues globally.
Evaluating real-world performance
Potential clients of Evolv, including MLB teams, depend heavily on real-world performance data, user testimonials, and first-hand testing when selecting new technologies. Dave Horsman, Vice President of Ballpark Operations for the Minnesota Twins, highlighted the importance of these evaluations, stating, “We do a lot of innovation, but for something directly impacting guest experience and safety like security screening, we wanted to thoroughly test it and achieve a high level of certainty of success.”
Horsman and his team spent a week at another venue equipped with Evolv systems, assessing their effectiveness. “I was able to see firsthand how well the system works and was very impressed. We were able to see how it performs in other MLB parks—which provided some really good validation for us,” he remarked.
Impact on guest experience
Further testing was conducted by the Minnesota Twins to ensure the system's suitability
Further testing was conducted by the Minnesota Twins to ensure the system's suitability for inclusion in their safety plans. Horsman noted, “We did our homework and did extensive testing over the offseason—testing to see if it would detect objects it should detect and not detect the ones we didn’t want to detect. We were really impressed with the results and decided to move forward.”
Reflecting on the first Opening Day post-implementation, Horsman fondly remembers being in the security ingress area as the National Anthem concluded. “Normally, with the metal detectors, we would still have lines of fans trying to get into the park. But when I looked up after the National Anthem was finished, there were no lines. I knew then that we had made the right decision,” he recounts.
Widespread adoption
Evolv has attracted more than 700 business-to-business customers, encompassing a range of sectors from education and healthcare to professional sports and tourist attractions.
Some prominent clients include Mercedes-Benz Stadium, SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater, Six Flags, TD Garden, Fenway Park, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools. In 2023, the company's technology successfully identified over 400,000 weapons, demonstrating its substantial impact on enhancing safety at various venues.
With Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Opening Day around the corner, 10 MLB teams are gearing up to welcome millions of fans with the help of security screening by Evolv, the security technology company pioneering AI-based screening to create safer experiences.
Evolv’s Express® is an award-winning weapons detection system that uses sensor technology combined with artificial intelligence to help differentiate between weapons and non-threatening metal objects people commonly carry. Since the launch of Evolv Express in 2019, Evolv has screened more than 1 billion people in hundreds of venues around the world.
Real-world performance metrics
When considering new technology, many Evolv customers rely on real-world performance metrics, testimonials and information obtained from other users in their respective industries, and often their own testing of Evolv Express, to guide their purchase decisions.
“We do a lot of innovation,” said Dave Horsman, vice president of Ballpark Operations for the Minnesota Twins, who partnered with Evolv over a year ago for security screening. “But for something directly impacting guest experience and safety like security screening, we wanted to thoroughly test it and achieve a high level of certainty of success.”
Impacting guest experience
Accordingly, Horsman and team spent a week at another venue that had Express systems in place while learning about Evolv. “I was able to see firsthand how well the system works and was very impressed. We were able to see how it performs in other MLB parks—which provided some really good validation for us.”
In addition, the team did their own testing of the Evolv Express system to further validate it was the right addition to their safety plan. “We did our homework and did extensive testing over the offseason—testing to see if it would detect objects it should detect and not detect the ones we didn’t want to detect. We were really impressed with the results and decided to move forward.”
Security ingress area
A year later since implementing Evolv Express, Horsman still recounts the Twin’s Opening Day as the moment that stands out the most in his mind. “We were in the security ingress area when the National Anthem played,” he recalls. “Normally, with the metal detectors, we would still have lines of fans trying to get into the park. But when I looked up after the National Anthem was finished, there were no lines. I knew then that we had made the right decision.”
Evolv’s business-to-business buyers, many of whom are themselves security experts and/or engage third-party experts, represent over 700 customers across education, healthcare, professional sports, industrial workplaces, houses of worship and tourist attractions.
This includes some of the country’s top brands and school districts, such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium, SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater, Six Flags, TD Garden, Fenway Park and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools. In 2023, Evolv detected over 400,000 weapons, including firearms and knives.
