There’s nothing like the thrill of a big game or the concert atmosphere, as people tend to value experiences more than physical possessions, generating billions annually to the “experience economy.”
Entertainment venues and stadiums are fed by a multitude of companies that make up the sales and supply chains in support of fans having a great time, at least for a few hours.
However, the sports and entertainment industry, experienced a huge loss of revenue over the last few years. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, industry leaders have been working to attract more fans and improve ratings, so recent losses were even more detrimental to the industry’s financial outlook.
Computer vision is helping to turn these trends around by using technology that appeals to fans and builds enhanced operational processes, leading to higher revenues and improved safety and security by using data efficiently.
By capturing visual and sensor data, combining it with other data points, and then analyzing it all for insights and trends, at the edge rather than the data center, more informed decisions can be made rapidly.
This federated approach to data analysis happens in near real-time, making instant replay unnecessary.
(With the right technology, it’s easier to be an innovator and do more incredible things. Courtesy of Dell Technologies and YouTube.)
Safety and security provide the foundation
People expect a safe and secure environment people when they go to sports and entertainment venues, in addition, to having fun, but the nature of large crowds can create unsafe situations.
Every facility has a safety and security infrastructure already capturing thousands of video streams, however, additional insights can be gained by implementing computer vision from these streams.
Safety often requires quick decisions and real-time situational awareness. Predictive occupancy, where people flow is anticipated before a bottleneck occurs, is extremely valuable to operations, vendors, and a positive visitor experience, but it’s often difficult to do successfully due to the number of variables involved.
As part of a computer vision system with machine learning, the data gathered from cameras and sensors make it easier to find missing persons and to identify people who are prohibited from a venue. Computer vision systems can also determine how many people are in a location, which is valuable to ensure that crowds are kept under capacity limits or should an evacuation become necessary.
(Increase time-to-value and achieve real business outcomes with Dell Technologies Consulting Services. Our experts know what it takes to align business and IT strategies to quickly deliver the most value to your business. Courtesy of Dell Technologies and YouTube.)
When fickle fans demand more, computer vision delivers
Fan retention is a major topic today, and where there are fewer committed fans, there will be fewer attendees and potentially lower revenues for organizations.
There have also been significant changes in the fan base mix and expectations of the fan base. Many fans are used to receiving more information at their fingertips and want a more seamless experience without hurdles.
Computer vision is literally a game-changer, as it creates a connection for fans by providing instant information on player performance (spectator turned analyst), as well as guiding them to short concession lines, and building a sense of community and excitement via fan engagement walls.
Player performance information also improves the quality of coaching and simplifies decision-making time, making for a higher quality game and broadcast, which ultimately makes leads to fans coming back.
Greater operational efficiencies through real-time actionable intelligence
Data is key to improving operational efficiencies, and augmented reality (AR)–based wayfinding in venues lets customers find attractions, concessions, their seats, and even to find their friends more easily.
Queue management also benefits from computer vision, where potential queue or wait times at concession stands can be alleviated through fan notifications and dynamic staffing. Informing spectators of current conditions and suggesting the best times for various actions can vastly improve their experience.
Computer vision insights are used to predict the most and least busy times by combining visual data with gate ticket data to understand current crowd counts and predict crowd flows (such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which took advantage of this technology for the Indy 500).
(Executives from Penske Entertainment explain how NTT is delivering digital innovations for their business that includes the sanctioning body of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and venues such as the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of one of the world’s most famous sporting events, the Indianapolis 500. These innovations include the evolution of the INDYCAR Mobile App and the integration of NTT’s proprietary Accelerate Smart Platform to engage fans worldwide and further their long-standing presence in the world of sports and entertainment. (Courtesy of NTT official channel and YouTube.)
This information can be critical in making operational decisions related to and allowing for more effective allocation and adjustment of scarce resources. For example, concession stand and retail merchandise shop owners can use occupancy conditions to make more effective decisions on deploying their staff and optimizing inventory, especially for items with a limited shelf life.
Computer vision systems can also collect data on parking availability or allow for enhanced quality of access for certain categories of fans through enhanced recognition capabilities.
How computer vision contributes to sustainability efforts
Think of each individual venue as its own ecosystem, with people, goods, commercial entities, and vehicles bustling about.
Each venue delivers water, energy, heating, and cooling as needed to provide a comfortable and safe experience. With the adaption of smart building controls with computer vision, decision-makers can create environments more sustainable while helping to reduce energy usage and costs.
Any efficiencies to reduce unnecessary movement of vehicles or to conserve energy and resources such as electricity and water can lead to a more sustainable environment. Computer vision can enable more targeted parking by providing real-time and predicted parking availability information.
It can help determine the number of people waiting to be shuttled from parking lots to the main venue and make more efficient decisions as to when the shuttles should move.
Additionally, autonomous driving vehicles are making inroads in this area, designed to operate at peak efficiency by regulating speed and acceleration, and stadiums will soon be able to efficiently move people in autonomous shuttles to and from parking areas with no driver involved.
(Dell Technologies has artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science solutions, featuring Dell Precision workstations. Visit https://bit.ly/3oZKUtP to learn more. Courtesy of Dell Technologies and YouTube.)
Taking a look at the bottom line
A few things are critical for revenue generation, enabling and increasing visitors to the venues and making it easy for them to spend their money.
Engaging them in a personalized way also delivers a great overall experience that makes them want to come back and get others to do so as well.
Customers spend money in the venue upfront for tickets, then at the concession stand, on memorabilia, and often for parking as well. Broadcasters and advertisers are willing to pay more if they can get eyeballs on their names and logos, so potential vendors will pay more for a spot that draws more visitors. The thread here is computer vision makes all of it easier to accomplish.
Revenue-generating opportunities are also expanding beyond the venues themselves. Ultra-reality viewing is recreating the experience by transmitting real-time, immersive video to fans in remote locations, creating an additional revenue stream tied to the same event.
Will the ripple effects of computer vision lead to winning outcomes for the entertainment industry?
The impact of being able to gather data at the edge and analyze it at the correct speed and velocity to make time-critical determinations on one aspect of the sports and entertainment industry serves as a catalyst for growth and change in others.
Different data points, like audio and video data combined with gate ticket and visitor data, are ingested once and analyzed for multiple uses, producing insights that can be used to positively impact safety, the customer experience, operational efficiencies, sustainability, and revenue generation (Figure 1).
More specifically, enhanced operations result in a safer, more efficient, better-quality event, which results in greater fan participation and more revenue across the supply chain.
This ripple effect coupled with the rapid acceleration of digital transformation is teeing us up for an exciting next inning.
Computer vision can and will do substantially more for the entertainment industry, so keep an eye out for further developments to come.
Sports and entertainment case studies:
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Revolutionizing the fan experience of the Tour de France
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Miami Dolphins: Increased engagement, stadium security for the ultimate game-day experience
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Creating a Digital-First Motorsports Experience by Shaping the Future of Fan Engagement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
How computer vision is positively impacting other industries:
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The Future Is Computer Vision – Real-Time Situational Awareness, Better Quality and Faster Insights
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Computer Vision Is Transforming the Transportation Industry, Making It Safer, More Efficient and Improving the Bottom Line
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How Computer Vision is Revolutionizing the Manufacturing Supply Chain
Join Dell Technologies and the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) at Fancentric, where New Competitor in the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program Patriot One Technologies, is a Signature Sponsor.
An international conference, “Innovative Changes Driving the Fan Experience in the Sports & Entertainment Industry”, hosted by the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience will take place May 24-26, 2022, at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
The focus of the conference is to explore ways to create conditions for success to help sports and entertainment organizations complete their mission, achieve their objectives, and build resilience.
To Learn More, please visit https://fancentric.iifx.org/.
Patriot One Technologies Nominated for Multiple Awards in 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program
Patriot One Technologies provides unobtrusive, artificial intelligence AI-driven weapons and threat detection systems that enable arenas, casinos, schools, theaters, and other businesses to provide unprecedented safety while also improving the patron experience.
The Company’s Multi-Sensor Gateway Solution enables companies to covertly screen for weapons at points of entry without disrupting the flow of traffic, and its AI-based Video Recognition System enables venue and building operators to identify weapons and other threats inside and outside of facilities, while also providing valuable intelligence for optimizing operations via their AI-powered platform.
(See how the SmartGateway™ solution, a multi-Sensor gateway from Patriot One Technologies can offer covert operational deployment allowing for uninterrupted pedestrian traffic, saving time, saving money, and ultimately helping to save lives. Courtesy of Patriot One Technologies and YouTube.)
To Learn More about Patriot One’s Gateway and other AI-powered solutions, please visit https://patriot1tech.com/patscan/products/.
American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.
AST Honors Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations, at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.
The United States was forever changed 20 years ago on September 11th, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon.In the days that followed 9/11, the critical needs of protecting our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.
Our 2021 keynote speaker featured a moving and informative address from TSA Administrator and Vice-Admiral of the United States Coast Guard (Ret), David Pekoske; to our attendees who traveled from across the United States and abroad, on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel.
Legendary Police Commissioner William Bratton of the New York Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department was also live at the event, meeting with attendees and signing copies of his latest work ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ courtesy of the generosity of our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Premier Sponsors.
2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program Welcomes New PLATINUM SPONSOR: NEC National Security Systems (NSS)!
The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters
So be on the lookout for exciting upcoming announcements of Speakers, Presenters, Book Signing Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2022 in New York City!
The 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by Returning 2022 Sponsor SIMS Software, along with AMAROK, ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, Fortior Solutions, and Reed Exhibitions.
Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
| Facial/IRIS Recognition | Body Worn Video Product | Cyber Security |
| Video Surveillance/VMS | Mobile Technology | Anti-Malware |
| Audio Analytics | Disaster Preparedness | ID Management |
| Thermal/Infrared Camera | Mass Notification System | Fire & Safety |
| Metal/Weapon Detection | Rescue Operations | Critical Infrastructure |
| License Plate Recognition | Detection Products | COVID Innovations |
| Workforce Management | Government Security Programs | And Many Others to Choose From! |
Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI)
- Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- DHS Science & Technology (S&T)
- The National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health (NCDMPH)
- The American Red Cross
- The InfraGard National Alliance
- The Metropolitan Police (MPD)
- The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
- Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS)
- The Federal Air Marshals Service
- The San Diego Harbor Police Foundation, and Many More!
Corporate firms, the majority of which return year to year to build upon their record of accomplishment include:
AlertMedia, Allied Universal, AMAROK, ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Axis Communications, Automatic Systems of America, BriefCam, Canon U.S.A., Fortior Solutions, guardDog.ai, Hanwha Techwin of America, HID Global, Mark43, IPVideo Corporation, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Lumina Analytics, NEC National Security Systems, NICE Public Safety, OnSolve, PureTech Systems, Quantum Corporation, Rave Mobile Safety, Regroup Mass Notification, Robotic Assistance Devices, Rajant Corporation, SafeLogic, Senstar Corporation, ShotSpotter, Singlewire Software, SolarWinds Worldwide, Teledyne FLIR, Valor Systems, and Wiresecure, just to name a few!
Why American Security Today?
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast-changing security landscape.
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State, and local levels of government as well as firms allied to the government.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers’ eyes throughout the story with cutting-edge editorial that provides solutions to their challenges.
Harness the Power of the Web – with our 100% Mobile Friendly Publications
AST Digital Publications are distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals, in federal, state, local, and private security sectors.
‘PROTECTING OUR NATION, ONE CITY AT A TIME’
AST Reaches both Private & Public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.
Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture, and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.
These experts are from Government at the federal, state, and local level as well as from private firms allied to the government.
AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website, and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.
AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
(See just a few highlights of American Security Today’s 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East. Courtesy of My Pristine Images and Vimeo.)
To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, please see the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2021 ‘A Year in Review’.
The Annual CHAMPIONS edition includes a review of Annual ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firm’s products and services, including video interviews and more.
It serves as your Go-To Source throughout the year for ‘The Best of 2021 Products and Services‘ endorsed by American Security Today, and can satisfy your agency’s and/or organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.
From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection, and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware and Networking Security – Just to name a few), the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION has what you need to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.
It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.
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For a complete list of 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, begin HERE.
For more information on All Things American Security Today, as well as the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
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Learn More…
New ‘ASTORS’ Competitor Patriot One to Protect Austin’s New Moody Center
