EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University is one of five universities nationwide participating in a pilot program to test innovative security measures at sports facilities and entertainment venues in areas such as parking, concessions, merchandising and ticketing.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security ranks stadium attacks as one of the 12 most devastating possible acts of terrorism. The pilot program will create a risk management standard for major collegiate and professional venues to improve security measures and increase safety for the thousands of sports and entertainment fans who attend events each year.
It is a collaboration of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security, or NCS4, at the University of Southern Mississippi and eVerifile, which helps organizations improve safety and security and meet government compliance requirements. The pilot also includes Ohio State University, Penn State University, Texas A&M and Southern Mississippi.
“Protecting spectators and participants at sporting and entertainment venues is one of our highest priorities,” said Mark Wilson, president of eVerifile. “This partnership enables us to address this important national security issue and put procedures in place to enhance safety for thousands of fans and athletes around the country.”
MSU and the other universities will test several initiatives, including employee and vendor background screening, safety education and venue access through credentialing.
The program comes after a meeting during which several universities joined eVerifile and NCS4 to discuss the security issues facing venues and the administrators that manage them. The meeting was hosted by basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
“The initiative to increase the safety and security of sporting venues is of the upmost importance to stadium and team owners,” Johnson said. “With my new ownership position in the Los Angeles Dodgers, I intend to champion the importance of protecting players and spectators at all types of events.”
Lou Marciani, NCS4 director, agreed.
“With millions of people attending sporting events around the world each year, we can’t afford to take stadium security lightly,” he said. “This is an issue of national importance. We’re committed to developing and testing strategies that will keep spectators everywhere as safe as possible.”
For more information on NCS4, visit www.ncs4.com. For more information on eVerifile, visit www.eVerifile.com.
###
Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.