VenuesNow (02/11/21) Muret, Don
Cathy Lanier, chief security officer for the National Football League (NFL), says the costly new technologies the league introduced in response to the pandemic will save money in the long run for teams and venues. The technologies introduced by many teams include facial recognition, biometrics and access control, as well as other touchless and contactless systems. “They’re going to stay with us,” Lanier says. “They will upgrade the customer experience and provide safety and security as well. Fans in our stadiums appreciate the speed with which they can enter and make a purchase and do all of these things without worrying about health and safety.” Lanier notes that for two weeks after every regular-season game, NFL officials tracked data through contact tracing devices with local health departments, and found no links between fans attending games and the spread of coronavirus. The 2020 NFL draft stood out as an example for how to be flexible and adapt in a COVID environment, she says. The pandemic forced the NFL to throw 18 months of preparation out the window, Lanier says. The league shifted to a televised and virtual model and pulled it off with great reviews. “The unexpected lesson was people loved it,” she says. “People were not only starved for entertainment but for some sense of normalcy. They loved the aspect of seeing the personal lives of football heroes and coaches such as (Bill) Belichick and his dog.”
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