ABOUT NCS4
NCS4 is the nation’s only academic center devoted to the study and practice of spectator sports safety and security.
MISSION��
We 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.
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.
The NCS4 collaborates with professional associations, government agencies, academic entities, and the private sector to develop critical resources and networking opportunities, such as the annual conference and forums, as well as best practices, guidelines, and technology solution whitepapers. The NCS4 also provides industry engagement opportunities through an international technology alliance, product review and operational exercise program, and exhibitor and sponsorship options at events.
12 WEATHERING THE STORM
Several court-storming incidents rocked college basketball last season. Learn how to strike a better balance between encouraging fan engagement and ensuring a safe environment for everyone.
17 THE VIP TREATMENT
Protecting high-profile individuals can be a full-time job for some safety and security professionals; others do so less frequently. Either way, communication and advance work are vital to success.
23
A UNITED CONTINENT
When North America hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it will be “The biggest version of the biggest sporting event in the world.” Check out a safety and security primer for the tournament.
A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Stacey A. Hall
GREETINGS, FELLOW SAFETY AND SECURITY PROFESSIONALS!
We are excited to present our summer edition of the Gameday Security magazine. This issue covers topics at the forefront of our industry, including mitigating court-storming incidents, protecting VIP individuals at facilities and events, and mega-sports event planning as the U.S. prepares to co-host the largest FIFA World Cup in history in 2026. I hope you enjoy the articles included in this edition.
The NCS4 mission is to support the sports and entertainment industries through training and education, research, and outreach programs. The NCS4 continues to have a tremendous impact, and I would like to take this opportunity to share our progress on some items since the fall:
• Earlier this year, the NCS4 hosted forums for the interscholastic athletic community in Katy, Texas, and the professional sports and entertainment community at the University of Notre Dame. The Marathon and Endurance Events Forum will be held in Virginia Beach, Va., on December 3-4.
• Over 41,000 people have been trained through the DHS/FEMA/TEEX training program since its inception. Seven courses are currently available, covering topics such as risk management, incident management, crisis communications, evacuation planning, and crowd management. A new course, Sport and Special Event Staff Training and Development, will be released in the fall of 2024.
• A new eLearning course was released in spring –Frontline Staff Foundational Skills. This is the fourth eLearning course available at NCS4Learn. Others include Venue Staff Training, Crowd Manager Fundamentals, and a Senior Leader Course for Sports and Entertainment Security.
• The NCS4 developed a specialized eLearning fan conduct course for Major League Soccer (MLS).
• Over 120 certifications have been awarded for the Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) program. We welcome our new CSSP Commission chair, Drew Pittman (Baylor University), and vice chair, Greg Overstreet (Mercedes-Benz Stadium).
• A new research seminar on crime patterns during game days is now available.
• The 2024 Venue Security Director Industry Research Report is in press.
• The NCS4 staff and research affiliates presented at local, national, and international conferences, workshops, and academic classes. In addition, they have contributed to peer-reviewed journal articles, professional publications, and podcasts.
• NCS4 executive director, Dr. Stacey Hall, is editing a Handbook of Sport Security to be published by Routledge, a Taylor and Francis Group.
• The NCS4 is leading a national task force and collaborating with DHS/CISA on a lightning safety guide for outdoor venues and events.
• The 2024 Sport and Entertainment Technology Alliance members include Aluma, Axis Communications, Esri, inOrbit, Microsoft, NVIDIA, S2 Global, and Xtract One.
• The 15th Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held July 9-11, at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa. This year’s milestone conference theme, Make It Matter, encourages our stakeholders to explore how we can transform ideas into tangible changes with lasting impacts. We look forward to welcoming over 500 attendees and 70 exhibitors, honoring leaders in the field at the awards luncheon, and awarding scholarships to young professionals through our program sponsored by Axis Communications.
The NCS4 team is grateful for our continued partnerships with professional associations, government agencies, solution providers, and academic entities. We also appreciate the support of our membership base. The National Advisory Board, Advisory Committees, and Technology Alliance continue to be instrumental in helping shape our strategic priorities to address the challenges and needs of our industry.
I hope you all have a fun and safe summer! l
Best wishes,
Stacey A. Hall, Ph.D. NCS4 Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management
NCS4 STAFF
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dr. Stacey A. Hall
Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management
Lauren Cranford
Director of Operations
Daniel Ward Director of Training and Exercise
Dr. Brandon Allen
Director of Research and Associate Professor of Sport Management
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Michael Broadus Curriculum Manager
Anthony Palazzolo Manager of Marketing and Business Development
Sara Priebe
Event and Membership Manager
Jonathan Ruffin Training Manager
Tymika Rushing Business Affairs Manager
Jonathan Stanford Training Manager
Roger Swartz Senior Training Manager
Natalie Williams
Training Manager/Project Specialist
STUDENT ASSOCIATES
Arianna Barksdale
Graduate Assistant
Enzo F. Ferreira
Graduate Assistant
Aayush Gautam
Web Developer
Ryan Theriot
Graduate Assistant
NCS4 LEARN
Professional Development at Your Fingertips
NCS4 Learn provides eLearning professional development opportunities for all staff levels, including frontline staff, supervisory, and leadership. Organizations can enroll and monitor their teams in asynchronous and customizable learning experiences. The course catalog currently includes the following:
• Frontline Staff Foundational Skills
• Venue Staff Training
• Crowd Manager Fundamentals
• Senior Leader Course: Sports and Entertainment Security
Please visit the website or contact us at NCS4Learn@usm.edu if you have any questions or would like to inquire about bulk registration.
the QR code or visit the website to learn more.
Bill Squires
Bill Wiswesser Senior Vice President of Facilities
Michael J. Rodriguez Former Senior Advisor USTA and U.S. Open Security
AWARDS LUNCHEON
Sponsored by:
2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
Scott G. Bliek
Assistant General Manager, Stadium Management Company/Denver Broncos
Randy Buhr
Director, Championships and Alliances, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Stacy Embretson
Senior Director, Operations, The McCourt Foundation
Tevin Kellum
Security Director, Detroit Lions
J.T. Klingenmeier
Vice President, Prevent Advisors
Roy Pippin Jr.
Director of Security, Houston Astros
James E. Seagle, III
Director of Safety and Security, Nashville SC/GEODIS Park
Dennis Walton, CMAA
Athletic Administrator, Biddeford High School
Harry Wilson
Head of NBA Events Security, National Basketball Association
EMERGING INDUSTRY LEADER
Mariah Barber
Director, Safety and Security, Pacers Sports and Entertainment
Brian Cordill
Associate AD for Event Operations, K-State Athletics
Michelle La Sala
President, Blistering Pace Race Management
Zach Lemelin
Athletic Director, Sanford School District
Kevin Mauldin, M.Ed.
Athletic Trainer/Teacher, Oak Grove High School
Malory Monson
Senior Director of Operations, America First Field
Matt Van Norton
Director, Security and Transportation, Washington Commanders
Jason Silva
Director, Security, Oakland Athletics
FACILITY OF MERIT
Sponsored by Prevent Advisors
Freedom Field – Alvin ISD
GEODIS Park
Gillette Stadium
Petco Park
Pinnacle Bank Arena
Track Shack
FRIENDS OF NCS4
Walter E. Cooper
Program Coordinator, Interscholastic Athletic Administration, William Carey University
Monica Martinez
Executive Director of Emergency Management, Texas A&M University
Ben Rolens
General Manager of Facilities, Katy Independent School District
Michael J. Stewart
Commercial Facilities Sports Leagues Subsector Lead, DHS/CISA
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
Sponsored by Axis Communications
Alex Algee
Senior Manager, Campus Security, Pacers Sports and Entertainment
Shane Burgess
Director of Events, Wisconsin Athletics
Adrienne Hutchens
Director, Health and Safety, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment
Dan Koch
Guest Experience Coordinator, Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis W. Smith
Public Safety Special Event Planner, Virginia Beach Police Department
Matt Wannemuehler
Manager, Athletics Safety and Security Operations, University of Alabama Athletics
SPONSORS
PLATINUM
Title
Presenting
24/7 Software
Awards Luncheon
Evolv Technology
Technology Showcase
CSA360 Software
InControl Enterprise Dynamics
Xtract One
EXHIBITORS THANK YOU!
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Allied Universal® Event Services
Axis Communications
Meridian Rapid Defense Group
Prevent Advisors
Torchstone Global
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Symbol Arts
MEDIA
Athletic Business Media
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Accredit Solutions
Advanced Security Technologies LLC
AirSight
All Traffic Solutions
ALO.ai
Aluma
AmberBox Gunshot Detection
Ameristar Perimeter Security
Ardian Group
Autoclear
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BEST Crowd Management
blueviolet Networks
Canon USA
CEIA USA
CISA / Office for Bombing Prevention
Cochrane USA - ClearVu The Invisible Wall
ColorID
Concentric Security
Crime Gun Intelligence Technologies
Crowd Cushion
CrowdRx
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Databuoy
Dedrone Holdings Inc.
Digital Ally Inc.
ECAMSECURE
Evolv Technology
Flying Aces Enterprises and Consulting
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Gibraltar Perimeter Security, LP
Golden State Communications
Hanwha Vision
InControl Enterprise Dynamics
inOrbit
Intelligent Security Systems (ISS)
Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric
Assessment Center (IMAAC)
ivelah
Karagozian & Case Inc.
LifeRaft
Meridian Rapid Defense Group
Metrasens
Motorola Solutions
North American Rescue
Observation Without Limits
Office of SAFETY Act Implementation
Prevent Advisors
Rave Mobile Safety
RaySecur
ReadyOp
REMS TA Center
Sloan Security Group
SwiftColor
SymbolArts
Titan Global Enterprises Inc.
Titan HST
TuoreV
VCS Software
Xtract One
Walter P Moore
WEATHERING THE STORM
Several court-storming incidents rocked college basketball last season. Here’s how to strike a better balance between encouraging fan engagement and ensuring a safe environment for everyone.
By Michael Popke
COURT STORMING was all the rage this past college basketball season.
In January, an Ohio State fan collided with Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark on the court following the Buckeyes’ upset win over the Hawkeyes. Then, in the ensuing weeks, several other incidents occurred — including one in which Duke’s Kyle Filipowski banged a knee when he got knocked by a Wake Forest fan after the Demon Deacons beat the visiting Blue Devils; he needed assistance leaving the court.
“In my almost 40 years of athletic administration, I don’t think I can recall [anything like this],” says Jeff Steele, associate athletic director at Auburn University, whose men’s basketball team has been involved in its own court-storming incidents over the years. “They seem to be happening more frequently, and that is concerning.”
Why the surge?
“First off, you have passion from fans of the team that wins, and then you have a high degree of emotion from the losing team,” Steele says. “That can be very volatile, particularly with people who are competitive in nature. When you put that mix in a closed-in space like an arena, things can get kind of helter-skelter. Our students, our fans, and our teams also are connected in a way we’ve never been before through social media, and that makes it much more personal. And so I think that fuels the passion to be a part of the celebration, too: Get on the floor and be with your friends and celebrate the fact that you are a part of this.”
In the wake of the Filipowski incident, Duke coach Jon Scheyer (along with other college basketball leaders) called on the Atlantic Coast Conference to ban storming the court. Notably, the ACC was not among the eleven conferences that told ESPN in February that home schools for court storms could be subject to fines. Conferences that currently assess fines are the Atlantic 10, Big East, Big South, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Pac-12, Western Athletic, Southeastern and West Coast.
It is worth noting, however, that court-storming incidents typically don’t occur at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“Court storming typically happens to us on the road,” says Becca Wilusz, Duke’s assistant director of athletics/game operations and championships. “Our approach to this issue started with [longtime former Duke] Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski. If we’re specifically talking about basketball, we do not storm the court unless we win a championship. And, generally speaking, we don’t win championships at home. That’s largely carried over into women’s basketball, as well, because it’s just part of the Duke basketball culture. Do we have a plan for what we would do if it would happen? Yes. Is it what we expect to happen? No.”
Most colleges and universities, as well as many high schools, have similar policies and plans in place. But fans don’t always adhere to them.
“When thousands of people decide they’re going to do something, they’re probably going to do it,” Steele says. “The question is: What will we do to help protect the officials and the visiting team to get them off the floor or field safely so the celebration can happen and nobody gets hurt?”
“The potential for a court storm is reasonably foreseeable,” Wilusz adds. “You can look at your schedule, you can look at the rankings and be like, ‘This might happen.’ I’m not going to go so far as to say that it’s preventable, because you could do more harm by stopping it than allowing it to happen.”
The key is striking a balance between encouraging fan engagement and ensuring a safe environment for everyone. Here’s how to do that.
“VENUES
HAVE TO DO THE BEST JOB THEY CAN.”
Preventing fans from storming the court is all about setting expectations, just the way Krzyzewski ingrained them in the Duke basketball faithful decades ago. Those expectations center on winning — and winning with class. Football, on the other hand, often requires a different set of expectations.
Duke football fans took to the field last September when the Blue Devils stunned Clemson, 28-7, at Wallace Wade Stadium. As the game’s outcome became more certain, Duke administrators and security personnel informed Clemson team officials that they expected fans to storm down from the stands, and they instructed players, coaches, and staff how to exit the field.
The potential for a court storm is reasonably foreseeable. You can look at your schedule, you can look at the rankings and be like, ‘This might happen.’
BECCA WILUSZ, Duke University
“We told them, ‘This is how we want you to leave, and this is how we will support you leaving,’” Wilusz says.
Crowd monitoring throughout the game is critical, agrees Joe Monroe, chief of police at the University of Kentucky
Make sure that you have a pulse on your crowd. A lot of times, you’ll be able to anticipate that you’re going to have some issues at the end of the game.
JOE MONROE University of Kentucky
— another basketball powerhouse where winning is expected and courtstorming is discouraged. But fan encroachment does happen at Wildcat football games. In 2021, the SEC handed the university a $250,000 fine when fans took to the field following Kentucky’s 20-13 upset of No. 10 Florida, the first time the Wildcats beat the Gators in Lexington since 1986. (If you’re curious about what the SEC does with that money, it goes into the conference’s postgraduate scholarship fund.)
“Make sure that you have a pulse on your crowd,” Monroe says. “A lot of times, you’ll be able to anticipate that you’re going to have some issues at the end of the game. You’re going to be able to gauge your student section and other fan sections. They may be ready to storm the court or jump the wall onto the field.”
He notes that several stadiums have discouraged field storming by installing higher barriers intended to keep fans in the stands, but that often has led to spectator injuries. The design of basketball arenas, on the other hand, all but encourages fans to take to the court. Crowd dynamics come into play, too, and those can differ drastically between men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and football.
But at least two things remain constant: First is the need to build relationships with visiting teams and local law enforcement officials. Second, communicating consistently and effectively before the game, during the game, and in its waning minutes — is vital to ensuring the safety of players, coaches, officials, staff, and fans.
Wilusz suggests that program officials at a college or university hosting a highly ranked team reach out to the visiting team’s operations staff to share their mitigation plans should an upset occur, and fans overtake the court or field.
“Have that discussion leading up to game day and again when staff reports to the venue,” she says. “At halftime, you have another discussion. During a timeout with under 12 minutes, have another check-in. You’re preparing to put your plan in place.”
Some colleges and universities even have begun sending their own campus police officers to away games with basketball teams to assist local safety and security personnel in navigating a potential court storming. “Venues have to do the best job they can,” Monroe says. “You don’t want fans trying to engage with an official or opposing player.”
We say, ‘If you’re going to do it, do it in a way that is fun and not in a way that is going to injure anybody or cause problems for a visiting team or officials.’
JEFF STEELE, Auburn University
Students typically, but not always, are the instigators in a court storming, and Auburn’s Steele recommends working closely with student leaders to help communicate how students should safely behave in a court-storming incident.
“We say, ‘If you’re going to do it, do it in a way that is fun and not in a way that is going to injure anybody or cause problems for a visiting team or officials,’” he says, noting referees usually head to the locker room immediately after the buzzer. “You take a young person who is passionate about their game and has taken a tough loss, they might still be on the opposite end of the floor, stunned. They’re emotionally drained and might be standing there for eight to 10 seconds, which can put them in the middle of a celebration very quickly.”
Wilusz advises going even further when working with student sections.
“Do you have yell leaders? Do you have cheerleaders? Do you have student affairs staff or athletic department staff on-site at events who can assist and provide direction — people that students know as opposed to, quote-unquote, T-shirt security?” she asks. “Because if there are people who students recognize as leaders, that can result in a very different dynamic.”
“IT CAN BE DONE SAFELY.”
Last year, the SEC increased its fines for schools whose fans rush the court or field: $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second, and $500,000 for a third and each subsequent incident.
“While fines don’t impact the immediate decision-making process of fans, they do provide an incentive from universities to develop strategies,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told TheAthletic.com, which also reported that home universities are required to provide uniformed law enforcement and security around each team and the referees before, during, and after games to limit contact between fans and players.
If court storming continues unabated, though, Monroe wonders if more drastic measures beyond fines might be required ones that could impact a program’s overall competitive standing.
“I think you have to look at maybe forfeiting games, or forfeiting rights to conference championships or something,” he says. “I don’t know, but I think we’ve got to look at more creative solutions to protect everyone — players, coaches, and fans, who we have to protect from themselves.”
Steele even goes as far as suggesting taking away scholarships or home games from teams. “It’s all about how programs operate and address this issue,” he says.
He also cites a 16-hour course offered by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and
Security (MGT-475: Crowd Management for Sport and Special Events) that includes a video from several years ago when Virginia beat Duke. He says it represents a solid example of crowd storming done well.
“The students signaled they were coming to the floor, and you see staff surround the court,” Steele explains. “The teams were able to shake hands and the players went to their locker rooms, while the students went to center court. It
was just a well-oiled machine. The officials were safe, both teams were safe, and the students met in the center of the court and celebrated the victory. So it can be done safely.” l
EDITORIAL CREDIT: SOULE’ PHOTOGRAPHY | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
THE VIP TREATMENT
Protecting high-profile individuals can be a full-time job for some safety and security professionals; others do so less frequently. Either way, communication and advance work are vital to success.
By Michael Popke
Not long after Deion Sanders was introduced as head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder in December 2022, campus police chief Doreen Jokerst’s phone began blowing up.
“Other chiefs were calling, saying ‘Your life is about to change.’ So I watched his docuseries [Coach Prime] on Amazon and wanted to get to know him as a person,” Jokerst says, referring to the man who immediately became the highest-profile person on campus, followed closely by his sons, Shilo and Shedeur, and daughter, Shelomi — all of whom play sports for the Buffaloes.
“When I met with the coach, I said, ‘Hey, I think it’s great that everyone loves you as a football coach. But just like you, I’m a parent, and your kids go to school here, and I’m concerned about the safety of your children. Just like I would be concerned about the safety of my children.’”
We want to build trust with our VIPs before an incident happens, not get to know them in a crisis.
DOREEN JOKERST
University of Colorado Boulder Police Department
That early conversation, Jokerst adds, helped establish a solid relationship between the chief and the coach — and, more broadly, between campus law enforcement and the football program and between a university unaccustomed to selling out Folsom Field on a consistent basis to regularly welcoming a long list of Sanders’s celebrity friends that last season included rapper Lil Wayne, actor and wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and former NFL All-Pro Rob Gronkowski — sometimes all on the same day.
Jokerst also took a deep dive into learning best practices for protecting not only Sanders and his kids on campus but also VIP visitors. That included reaching out to experts in risk mitigation and prevention, as well as safety and security officials with the National Football League’s Denver Broncos and Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies.
“Many times, VIPs will come with their own security, and it’s often armed security,” Jokerst says. “So we like to have proactive conversations up front so that my team is not dealing with an incident in which things could have been prevented or mitigated. We want to build trust with our VIPs before an incident happens, not get to know them in a crisis.”
CUPD embeds officers on the field during games, and one officer Marc Mustoe, a former CU offensive lineman — is assigned to protect Coach Prime at all times. “Where he goes, I go,” Mustoe told a local NBC-TV news station last fall. “I was protecting the quarterback back then. Now I’m protecting a university.”
In short, CU made “a lot of enhancements” to its safety and security platform, Jokerst says, noting that Sanders established strong ties with police officers while coaching for three years at Jackson State University prior to coming to Colorado.
“Now [those officers are] hired under CU Athletics and work hand-in-hand with our police department,” she says. “They’re unarmed to provide him a sense of safety and security, because with a high-profile coach, many people love him but some people do not. That means we’re providing security platforms both on and off the field, because he is so highly visible. There are a lot of spaces outside of football in which he navigates, and we need to make sure those spaces are safe not only for him but for his fans and everybody else that comes to see him.”
While VIP sightings might be more common today on the CU campus than they used to be, they are a daily occurrence at the University of Southern California.
“We’re different, just because we’re in Los Angeles. So we have a lot of kids of celebrities and high-
profile athletes, as well as visitors,” says Hatcher Parnell, director of the Office of Executive Protection Services at USC, which was created in 2022 by Dr. Erroll Southers, USC’s associate senior vice president of safety and risk assurance.
Indeed, some of the biggest names in college sports over the past few years attended USC, including basketball player Bronny James (son of LeBron), Caleb Williams (who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy), and JuJu Watkins (the 2024 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in women’s college basketball).
The Office of Executive Protection Services was established to “oversee the physical security and risk management protocols for USC’s faculty, staff, students and guests, particularly during universitysponsored events,” according to a description on the website for the Safe Communities Institute at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. One of Parnell’s main tasks is collaborating closely with local, state, national, and international agencies to keep dignitaries safe on campus. As of April, 25 executive protection officers were trained to work within the office, he says.
“We now have people here all day, every day,” he says. “Before, it wasn’t the daily kind of partnership with our security partners.”
For example, when Bronny James was a USC student (he declared for the 2024 NBA draft in April), a private security company was hired to work with him. Parnell’s team coordinated with that firm to ensure it was following university guidelines and policies.
Less than two miles from the USC campus is Crypto. com Arena, home of four major professional sports
EDITORIAL CREDIT: APRIL VISUALS | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
EDITORIAL CREDIT: RINGO CHIU / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
If there’s anything I come up against that I’m not sure about, I’m making a phone call to somebody who knows.
HATCHER PARNELL, USC Office of Executive Protection Services
Escorting a VIP in a one-on-one environment requires heightened flexibility, Little adds.
“Understand the preferences of who you’re escorting,” he says. “Do they want to talk to random guests? Do they want to take pictures with anyone or sign autographs? I feel it is our role to be the ‘bad guy,’ not the person we are escorting. If they choose to just come in, see the event, and leave, then we need to keep people back by stating that [the VIP] is late or we have to keep moving or whatever excuse you want to use.”
These are simple yet significant procedures when implemented correctly.
“None of the stuff we do is rocket science, and a lot of it isn’t super proprietary,” Parnell says. “Get a little history on your visitor and run a threat assessment on them. If the person has a security team, they may tell you, ‘Hey, look — the last couple of visits to L.A., we had this guy named John Smith who was causing trouble for us.’ That helps you prepare for any issue that you might have, and then you can adjust based on what you know.”
As a recent example of VIP preparations, Parnell cites a recent visit to USC by multiplatinum recording artist and style icon Travis Scott, who has more than 55 million Instagram followers. On April 5, Scott launched a new line of apparel for 28 universities in partnership with Fanatics, Lids, and Mitchell & Ness by appearing on three big campuses in 24 hours. Before landing at USC’s bookstore, Scott visited Louisiana State University and the University of Texas. He also, according to SI.com, surprised each school’s football team during spring practice; giant crowds showed up at every stop.
“It was an unusual event for us because the bookstore doesn’t usually have events like that,” says Parnell, who served as the campus liaison for Scott and his team. “There was a massive coordination effort with our bookstore, our public safety office and others on campus, as well as with security for Fanatics, Travis Scott security and security for Michael Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics. My role in that was coordinating with the security teams regarding movements, entrances, exits, contingencies, emergencies — all of that — to make sure we had a safe event.”
Earlier that day, Parnell and his staff had been on the phone with officials at both LSU and Texas, finding out how their events with Scott went. In fact, Parnell suggests reaching out to colleagues whenever a VIP schedules an appearance at your facility.
“I have friends in government agencies, with the State of California, the CHP [California Highway Patrol], the Secret Service — and if there’s anything I come up against that I’m not sure about, I’m making a phone call to somebody who knows.”
Jokerst agrees that protecting VIPs requires immense legwork and teamwork.
“No one person could ever do all this,” she concludes, citing her efforts with stakeholders both on campus and off, including those in the departments of athletics and student affairs, as well as with organizations like the California-based Center for Policing Equity. “It has to be a collaborative process, and we have to learn from each other. My big concern is [some police] chiefs try to take things on all by themselves. I’m not the security expert on stadiums, but others…can help. So I brought them all together and said, ‘Help me.’ Granted, I made the public safety decisions, but our success and everything we’ve been able to do was really a partnership between a lot of university entities, my staff, and others.” l
GENERAL SESSION
SECURITY PLANNING FOR THE ONE-OFF EVENT: CONCERTS AND VIP MOVEMENTS
Tuesday, July 9 12:10-1:25 p.m.
Grand Sonoran F-K
BREAKOUT SESSION NIL AND THE CELEBRITY STUDENT: SECURITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Wednesday, July 10 10:45 a.m.-Noon or 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Desert Suite 5
CERTIFIED SPORT SECURITY PROFESSIONAL (CSSP)
OVERVIEW
The NCS4 is the only organization that offers a certification recognizing expertise in sport security management. Earning the Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) designation sets you apart from other professionals and highlights your dedication to remaining current with industry trends. Professionals in the sports security industry need to have a firm grasp of public safety measures and understand how to apply those measures in the unique environments created by sports venues and events. The CSSP certification validates expertise in the following domains:
•Business and Facility Management
•Emergency Planning
•Emergency Management
•Legal and Regulatory
•Crowd Management
•Security Principles and Practice
The CSSP certification is awarded to individuals who meet experience, education, and professional reference criteria and pass an exam relevant to sports safety and security management. It is maintained through ongoing continuing education and industry contribution requirements every three years.
TARGET AUDIENCE
•Venue/Event Security Directors/Managers
•Venue/Event Operations Directors/Managers
•Law Enforcement
•Emergency Managers
BENEFITS
•Expand security knowledge and experience
•Strengthen relationships with peers
•Broaden career opportunities
•Demonstrate a commitment to professional development
For more information, contact: CertificationSupport@usm.edu
•Private Security Practitioners
•Fire/HAZMAT
•EMS
•Other Sports Safety and Security Leaders
Scan the QR code or visit the website to learn more.
ncs4.usm.edu/training/cssp
A UNITED CONTINENT
When North America hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it will be “The biggest version of the biggest sporting event in the world.” Here’s a safety and security primer for the tournament.
By Michael Popke
Even before the 2022 FIFA World Cup began in Qatar, the soccer world already was looking ahead to 2026. The event’s arrival in North America in two years will mark the first time the tournament will be hosted across three nations.
Indeed, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be bigger than ever: The number of teams will expand from 32 to 48, and the tournament’s duration will last 39 days instead of 32, from June 11-July 19. A total of 16 host cities in three countries — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada — will host 104 matches (up from 64).
The Olympics are big, but the Olympics are generally regionalized; you don’t see them across three different countries. This is the first time anything like this has been attempted.
G.B. JONES
FIFA
World Cup 2026™
“This will be the biggest version of the biggest sporting event in the world,” says G.B. Jones, chief safety and security officer for FIFA World Cup 2026™. “We’ve never seen this many teams playing. We’ve never seen this many stadiums. We’ve never seen this many host cities and countries coming together for an event. The Olympics are big, but the Olympics are generally regionalized; you don’t see them across three different countries. This is the first time anything like this has been attempted.”
When Gameday Security caught up with Jones, he had just wrapped a whirlwind tour of nine World Cup stadiums in 11 days with Andrey Reis, director of security operations for FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“We always need to remember that we are playing in three different countries that have different jurisdictions,” says Reis, who is working on his fourth World Cup after serving in various capacities in Brazil (2014), Russia (2018),
We always need to remember that we are playing in three different countries that have different jurisdictions.
ANDREY REIS, FIFA World Cup 2026™
and Qatar (2022). “So a big part of our work in the beginning was to really understand the scenario. This is a massive footprint for FIFA, so we had to do an overall assessment and then dive into operational planning.”
While Jones and Reis are unable to discuss specific security details (for obvious reasons), they are willing to share insight about how their team is “building our internal structure and our external collaboration structure to make sure that all of the host cities have a voice in what the security preparations are going to be,” Jones says. “We want the stadiums to have a voice, and the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments all will be considered as our planning goes forward.”
Clearly, from a security and safety perspective, the magnitude of this operation requires enormous coordination between public and government entities, as well as hundreds (and counting) of private-sector partners. As of mid-March, FIFA had more than 460 confirmed venues involved with the 2026 World Cup in some way, each of which will require threat assessments and resourcing from law enforcement, public safety professionals and private security operators. Venues include stadiums, team hotels, team practice facilities, team base camp facilities, FIFA headquarters hotels, an international broadcast center, tournament operations centers, airports, and more.
Generally speaking, two of the biggest safety and security components of the 2026 World Cup are the host cities and stadiums, and team base camps. There also are extenuating circumstances that are impacting strategies — including a pair of presidential elections and another major FIFA event in the United States in 2025.
WORLD CUP HOST CITIES/STADIUMS
The United States hosted the 2003 Women’s World Cup, when all games were played at a total of six stadiums. But you need to go back to 1994 for the last time the Men’s World Cup was held in the United States. Nine venues hosted 52 matches, with the final taking place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Some of those stadiums — including Michigan’s Pontiac Silverdome, Foxborough
FIFA 2026 World Cup Stadiums
The 16 venues that will host World Cup matches, with their temporary FIFAdesignated names in parentheses:
CANADA
• BC Place, Vancouver
• BMO Field (Toronto Stadium)
MEXICO
• Estadio Akron (Estadio Guadalajara)
• Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
• Estadio BBVA (Estadio Monterrey)
UNITED STATES
• AT&T Stadium (Dallas Stadium)
• GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Stadium)
• Gillette Stadium (Boston Stadium)
• Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Stadium)
• Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium)
• Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Stadium)
• Lumen Field (Seattle Stadium)
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Stadium)
• MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium)
• NRG Stadium (Houston Stadium)
• SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium)
Stadium in Massachusetts, and Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. — have since been demolished.
Each of the 16 stadiums hosting 2026 World Cup matches — most of which will be temporarily renamed after its locale because FIFA prohibits venue representation by corporate sponsors — have their own safety and security protocols that will need to be modified to meet World Cup standards. But that’s not such a bad thing, according to Reis.
“The consistency will be the challenge, but it’s also the beauty of this event, right?” he says. “In the previous three World Cups that I participated in, a minimum of 70 percent of the stadiums were constructed and operated for the first time for a FIFA event. Here, it’s completely different. They’re up and running. They have expertise in place. People know what they’re doing. We don’t need to create plans from ground zero.”
The Host Committee approaches safety and security in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area as top of mind and equates the eight games at MetLife Stadium to eight Super Bowls.
BILL SQUIRES, FIFA World Cup 2026™ New York New Jersey Host Committee
One of those host stadiums will be MetLife Stadium, which replaced Giants Stadium in 2010 and will be the site of eight 2026 World Cup matches, including the final on July 19.
“When I was working at Giants Stadium as the vice president/general manager in 2001, I saw the second plane hit the [World Trade Center] south tower,” says Bill Squires, owner of The Right Stuff Consulting, who is working with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ New York New Jersey Host Committee as a consultant. “So the Host Committee approaches safety and security in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area as top of mind and equates the eight games at MetLife Stadium to eight Super Bowls.”
The New York metropolitan area has hosted a Super Bowl, World Series games, and Taylor Swift concerts, but Squires notes that one of the primary differences between those events and the World Cup matches will be the number of international visitors congregating in many of the same spaces — from the stadium to fan fests. All told, according to the New York New Jersey Host Committee, the World Cup is expected to bring more than 1 million visitors to the region, roughly half of whom will be non-ticketholders.
“There are going to be 39 days of soccer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada,” Squires says. ”And during the very early stages, there will sometimes be six games a day. So collectively, the fan fests supporting the venues will operate for 39 days, which requires another level of attention to detail.”
Squires likely is one of the few people involved in planning for the 2026 World Cup who also was affiliated with the 1994 World Cup, when Giants Stadium hosted seven matches, including a semifinal. At that time, he was the assistant general manager, and he doesn’t recall the degree of preparation that has already occurred in advance of 2026.
“It’s amazing for an event to be two years out, and we’re having very detailed meetings,” Squires says. “I don’t recall having this many meetings in 1992 for the 1994 World Cup; we started talking about these things in ‘93. I’m confident that all stakeholders will be ready.”
Among FIFA’s expectations, all host stadiums will be moving beyond their normal mode of operations. As Jones put it: “Understand the impact of your operations when coupled with 15 other stadiums. We may stretch you as a stadium, so that we can build consistency across 16 stadiums.”
Officials at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico, for example, may be asked to do things they’ve never done before to adhere closer to the way the NFL operates in the 11 U.S. stadiums. Similarly, stadium operators in U.S. cities may be asked to be a little more flexible regarding fan behavior to allow conduct more typical during a soccer match in Mexico.
“We’re asking each of the stadiums to think a bit more expansively, a bit more collaboratively,” Jones says. “We’re one World Cup. We’re not individual World Cup cities.”
TEAM BASE CAMPS
As part of the World Cup, FIFA will operate 48 team base camps — one for each country — throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Intended to be a “home away from home,” according to FIFA, each base camp will include a training site and accommodations. As of March, all base camps had not yet been publicly identified, but some will be located near host cities while others will not.
“There may be team base camps in states that don’t even have host cities,” Jones says. “Teams will fly in from their country to their team base camp, and they’ll be based out of there for the bulk of the tournament. But they will leave two days prior to their match and go to the match city, stay in a match-city hotel and use a venue-specific training center, and then they will play their match and fly back to their base camp for their down days.”
Such a setup is unlike base camp operations in 2022 in Qatar, where most teams stayed at base camps within a 10-kilometer (or about a six-mile) radius of each other in and around Doha, Qatar’s capital city.
“I think people are fixated on the fact that there are 16 World Cup cities. Some might be thinking, ‘Hey, there’s going to be the need for law enforcement and security in these 16 cities,” Jones says. “But the truth is that we’ll have law enforcement escort operations in all of the base camp cities, in base camp city airports, and at base camp city hotels. All of those things are going to be additional layers.”
EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
While the World Cup is getting most of the attention, it’s worth noting that the United States will host the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ next June and July. The new global tournament will include 32 clubs from six continental confederations competing at venues that, as of mid-April, had yet to be announced.
“FIFA considers it a test event that allows us to test processes and some of the protocols that we have,” Jones says. “But many of the relationships that we have to build for the Mundial in ‘25 are not going to be relationships we can leverage in ‘26. They’re going to be completely different cities, different states, different stadiums. So for our team, it becomes a broader challenge.”
Jones and Reis intend to apply the same policies, procedures, techniques, and tactics to the Mundial de Clubes as they will for the World Cub. But they also expect to learn from the 2025 tournament and make any necessary modifications for 2026.
“We’ve been so thoughtful and so strategic in how we were trying to approach this that I think we’re set up for success,” Jones says.
He adds, however, that other factors having nothing to do with soccer also are coming into play.
“There’s a presidential election going on in Mexico right now that will be done in June. So a lot of the decisions and discussions that happen with Mexican authorities are kind of held in abeyance until that’s decided,” he says. “The same thing can be said in the United States. We’ve got a lot of focus on a really hotly contested presidential election. So our partners with
Don’t miss these sessions on FIFA World Cup preparation:
GENERAL SESSION
GOOOOOAL! SECURITY PLANNING FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™
Wednesday, July 10
8:30-9:15 a.m.
Grand Sonoran F-K
the federal government, and even state and local partners, can’t really give this the attention that it requires until some decisions are made in November.”
But it’s still full steam ahead: FIFA and its partners are hard at work to ensure a safe and secure 2026 World Cup.
“We recognize that we’re not the ones who are going to be guarding every gate,” Jones says about he and Reis. “Our job is to build the partnerships and the relationships. The federal government has been working on this for a couple of years. FIFA has been working on it for years. Some of the private security companies are already staffing up. Public sector authorities in each of the host cities are already working on this. So there are hundreds if not thousands of people [involved]. But what’s missing is the cohesion piece, the team that’s going to come in, build the governance structure, share the governance structure, provide the objectives and the deliverables to the planning teams, and then coalesce all those planning efforts in a way that resonates with all of our spectators, all of the [competing] teams and all of the officials so there’s consistency across 16 different cities.”
No pressure. l
BREAKOUT SESSION
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Wednesday, July 10
10:45 a.m.-Noon or 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Desert Suite 3
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NATIONAL
DHS/FEMA Approved Training Workshops
SPORT AND SPECIAL EVENT RISK MANAGEMENT AWR-167
Building capabilities for multi-agency collaboration, intact teams are immersed in a collaborative environment incorporating basic concepts relative to planning, risk assessment, training, exercising plans, and recovery/ business continuity through scenario-based training modules.
SPORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS INCIDENT MANAGEMENT MGT-404
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SPECTATOR SPORTS SAFETY AND SECURIT Y
Develops athletic department staffs, facility management personnel, campus public safety personnel, emergency response supervisors, and others involved in sports and special event management to better prepare for, manage, and recover from incidents that could occur during a sporting event or other special event.
SPORT VENUE EVACUATION AND PROTECTIVE ACTIONS MGT-412
Prepares venue operators, first responders, emergency managers, law enforcement, contractors, promoters, and owners to effectively collaborate on evacuation and protective action decision-making. The course provides flexible and scalable protective measures for planning, evacuation, and sheltering.
ENHANCED SPORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS INCIDENT MANAGEMENT MGT-440
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SPECTATOR SPORTS SAFETY AND SECURIT Y
Prepares emergency responders, as well as event management personnel, concessionaires, athletic department personnel, and chief executives who would be involved in the preparation for and response to a large-scale incident during sporting or special events.
SPORT AND SPECIAL EVENT ENHANCED RISK MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT MGT-466
Provides participants with tools and methodologies for conducting venue and event-specific risk assessments. In this course, participants will analyze risk and utilize assessment outputs to determine risk mitigation options and their effectiveness.
SPORT AND SPECIAL EVENT PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION MGT-467
Prepares participants to identify and navigate the sport and special event communication landscape before, during, and after an incident. This interdisciplinary course brings planners, operators, communication, government, public safety, marketing, and public relations professionals together to prepare and/or enhance venue and event communication programs.
CROWD MANAGEMENT FOR SPORT AND SPECIAL EVENTS MGT-475
Introduces public safety officials, venue operators, event planners, and community stakeholders to key concepts and considerations for crowd management, control, and dynamics. The course content is scalable and applicable to all sports and special events regardless of venue size, capacity, or type of event.
NEW COURSE COMING SOON! SPORT AND SPECIAL EVENT STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
This DHS/FEMA-funded course, expected to be released in the fall of 2024, will bring together first responders, government, and commercial facilities personnel to improve safety and security training and development programs. The overall goal for this training is to provide tools and methodologies for training and developing staff assigned to and responsible for public safety at sporting and special events.
SAVE THE DATE
The 16th annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition will take place July 1-3, 2025, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas. The conference will offer dynamic programming, solution provider engagement, and opportunities to network with fellow professionals. This highly regarded gathering of sports safety and security professionals is an opportune time to share ideas, tools, and proven strategies to help advance the industry. Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us! Full conference details will be released later this year.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Security directors and operators, facility and stadium managers, event planners/ operators, law enforcement personnel, emergency managers, fire/HAZMAT, emergency medical/health services, athletic administrators and governmental representatives. These are individuals representing or supporting professional sports leagues, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics, marathon and endurance events, and sport and entertainment facilities (concerts, festivals, e-sports, convention centers, etc.).
WHAT TO EXPECT AS A CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
• Meet and greet at the opening reception and social in the Exhibit Hall
• Hear from leading industry experts on current topics and technology advancements
• Participate in interactive panel discussions
• Attend the Awards Luncheon
• Network with peers
• Engage with panelists and attendees in dynamic breakout sessions
• Explore emerging technologies
• Discover new products and services in the Exhibit Hall
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