Lou Marciani

The National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security (NCS4) and the Security Industry Association (SIA) have named Scott Dunn – senior director of business development, solutions and services for Axis Communications, Inc. – as the 2019 recipient of the Sports Security Innovator Award. SIA will present Dunn with the honour at the National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, taking place July 9-11 at the New Orleans Downtown Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dunn serves on the National Advisory Board for the NCS4, the nation’s first academic centre dedicated to spectator sports safety and security research, professional development, training and outreach. He also helped the NCS4 start – and attract global companies to – the Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance and has been instrumental in the 2025 Smart Stadiums project. Delivering smarter, safer stadiums I’m excited to continue collaborating on new concepts and innovative solutions to deliver on the promise of smarter, safer stadiums and venues"“It’s an honour to be recognised with the 2019 Sports Security Innovator Award from two renowned security organisations who play such a key role in our industry,” said Dunn. “I’m excited to continue collaborating on new concepts and innovative solutions to deliver on the promise of smarter, safer stadiums and venues of the future. Thank you, SIA and NCS4, for this meaningful recognition.” The NCS4 – established at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) – works in close partnership with industry professionals, researchers, academics and government agencies to bolster the capacity of practitioners to effectively respond to safety and security challenges. “Scott is a passionate and innovative leader who sees academia as a catalyst for industry growth,” said Dr. Lou Marciani, director of the NCS4. “Scott has a deep understanding of what is necessary to advance the sports safety and security industry, and we are grateful to have his support of our National Center.” Recognition for contribution towards sport security At Axis, Dunn leads the company’s long-term strategy regarding in-house developed solutions, including access control, hosted video and future products. He is also responsible for the company’s segment focus, which includes industries such as smart cities, government, retail and health care, and serves on the SIA Board of Directors. Award winners are selected for having promoted scholarship, advanced best practices for ensuring the safety and security of participants “SIA is proud to join the NCS4 in presenting Scott Dunn with the Sports Security Innovator Award in recognition of the time, expertise and effort he has contributed toward advancing sport security,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “Scott has demonstrated expertise in cross-organisational collaboration, fostering best practices, promoting effective security technology use at large stadiums and entertainment venues and working toward the stadium of the future.” Developing solutions for sports safety challenges The Sports Security Innovator Award – co-presented each year by SIA and the NCS4 at the National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition – recognises individual SIA members who have demonstrated innovation by developing next-generation solutions for sports safety and security challenges. Award winners are selected for having promoted scholarship, advanced best practices for ensuring the safety and security of participants and attendees at sporting events and advocated for the highest levels of professionalism in the securing of spectator sports venues. The 10th annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition will gather top professionals in the field for a program dedicated to security and safety technologies, products, services and education for safeguarding assets and spectators.

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and ISC West are partnering to provide education on the critical issue of stadium security at ISC West 2019, occurring April 9-12 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. As part of this partnership, SIA Education@ISC will host The Stadium of the Future, a presentation bringing together a panel of industry experts to discuss current technology and capabilities gaps in security for the sports and entertainment industry. Research conducted by the NCS4 provides evidence of a need for innovation and technology transfer in this multi-billion-dollar industry Research conducted by the NCS4 provides evidence of a need for innovation and technology transfer in this multi-billion-dollar industry. In this key education offering, Dr. Lou Marciani, director of the NCS4, will moderate a discussion featuring Scott Dunn, senior director of business development, solutions and services at Axis Communications; Greg Moya, global pre-sales director at Dell Technologies; and Ryan Zatolokin, business development manager and senior technologies at Axis Communications. 360-degree video walls “The race to build the most cutting-edge sports stadium in the world has already begun. With 360-degree video walls, retractable roofs and interactive, virtual fan experience areas, the next generation of sports stadiums focuses on the convergence of the physical and digital experience,” said Dr. Elli Voorhees, director of education and training at SIA. “High-tech advancements are being made to enhance the fan experience at every turn, and this education session will highlight how technology capabilities are being leveraged to improve safety and security.” During this special session, industry experts will share the latest updates and findings regarding stadium and public venue security, highlight the NCS4’s work and share how attendees can participate in upcoming projects and initiatives. Public venue and stadium security Attendees will have the opportunity learn from leading industry experts and participate in a hands-on learning exercise “The sports and entertainment industry is moving away from traditional stadium structures to mega-venues which affix residential, office and retail spaces to large sports complexes,” said Marciani. “As technology advances and stadiums evolve into multi-purpose centers, security solution providers need to learn about the current and future needs of commercial sport and entertainment facilities – to meet growing market demands and to stay competitive in their product development.” Attendees will have the opportunity learn from leading industry experts and participate in a hands-on learning exercise. The Stadium of the Future will take place during ISC West on Thursday, April 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Sands 302. Following the session, attendees will enjoy a cocktail reception sponsored by SIA. SIA Education@ISC West To attend The Stadium of the Future and other education sessions at ISC West, sign up for SIA Education@ISC West. Featuring 85+ sessions on a variety of hot topics and providing critical information on the newest technologies in security, SIA Education@ISC West is your top industry resource for vendor-agnostic security and network training. The program qualifies for continuing education hours with many relevant industry accreditation bodies.

Sports security combines manned guarding with access control devices, HD surveillance cameras & analytics in a command centre for a comprehensive security presence Providing security for sporting events and venues has long focused on personnel. Protection came in the form of guards and other personnel who controlled access to the venue and to restricted areas. With an increasing need to provide higher levels of protection in an age of terrorism, venues have turned to traditional access control equipment. Access control equipment for enhanced protection These days the typical large venue is equipped with cameras, and fans are checked by metal detectors at entrances. “You start off with access control to better protect the stadium,” explains Dr. Lou Marciani, Executive Director of National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi. “We’re into magnetometers. We have bollards inside stadiums to protect against vehicle-borne explosives. We’ve got better trained people at gates that know how to use wands or magnetometers.” These tools are combined with enhanced surveillance and integrated systems within a command centre, that are tracking information from sources as diverse as social media and alarms. “We have much-improved pixel capacities and surveillance (cameras) that can tell me if you shaved last night,” he says. “We’re really moving along fast with good solid technology to enhance our capabilities without a doubt.” HD cameras for detailed coverage Technology manufacturers have responded to the needs of sports security with the right kinds of equipment. “High resolution digital cameras and the recording equipment are something that more and more stadiums are relying on,” says Paul Turner, Director of Event Operations & Security for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. “You have an array of cameras so that the goal is you’re able to provide coverage on every seat on the bowl. You’re digitally recording all the time so that you can zoom into a particular section and rewind the recording and watch what happens.” Facilities are no longer using just the standard pan-tilt-zoom cameras that scan areas and may or may not record a particular incident. “Now technology is out there where everything is being recorded all the time and you can forensically examine what happened very easily and understand what led to that situation,” explains Turner. “Not every stadium has that, of course, but more and more are making room for that kind of technology.”   NCS4 provides information on sports security best practices, as well as rigoroustests and research into the best equipment available to the industry NCS4 providing information for sports security professionals Centres like NCS4 have increasingly become the source for not only best practices, but information on the best equipment available to the industry. “There are hundreds of camera manufacturers out there, and there are hundreds of folks that sell access control stuff,” observes Richard Fenton, Vice President of Corporate Security at Ilitch Holdings Inc., which includes the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and MLB’s Detroit Tigers. “There are all sorts of products, and they all say they’re the best. So [NCS4 has] a very elaborate lab testing protocol so that vendors can bring their products there. They put it through some rigorous testing; develop white papers on it. For someone like me who’s building a new arena, that’s a great advantage.”