Game‑Changing Security: How Digital Locks Have Revolutionised Stadium Access For Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints Rugby Club, renowned for its esteemed place in English rugby, recently upgraded its Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Garden security with a new digital locking solution.

Faced with the challenges of maintaining secure and efficient access across a large venue, particularly on busy match days, the Saints turned to SimonsVoss’ System 3060 to enhance control, reduce costs, and streamline operations.

Navigating the Defensive Line: The Challenge

The Saints’ stadium presented several common challenges faced by sports facility managers across the country, such as:

• Complex Access Needs: Staff, volunteers, players, and VIPs required different access privileges, making traditional key management inefficient and costly.
• High‑Security Areas: Areas such as locker rooms and equipment stores needed strict control to safeguard sensitive assets.
• Match Day Management: With hundreds of people moving through the facility, minimising bottlenecks and simplifying access was essential.
• Lost Keys and Rekeying: The risk of lost keys was ever‑present, and rekeying posed high costs and security vulnerabilities.

The SimonsVoss System 3060 Solution Scores Big

To address these challenges, Northampton Saints implemented SimonsVoss’ System 3060 across the entire stadium, providing a seamless, digital approach to access management.

Key features deployed include:

• Digital Locks on Critical Points: Strategically placed digital locks have replaced the need for traditional keys across sensitive and high‑traffic areas.
• RFID Transponders for Staff and Volunteers: New transponders now allow for quick, convenient, and secure access.
• Centralised Access Control: Facility managers can now monitor and manage access permissions, adapting to changing requirements instantly.
• Audit Trails for Enhanced Oversight: Audit trails provided by the System 3060 provide an enhanced level of visibility into access patterns, helping managers enforce protocols and improve accountability.

The Final Score: Results And Benefits

The impact of implementing the SimonsVoss System 3060 at Franklin’s Gardens has been transformative, boosting security while significantly easing the operational workload on match days.

• Time Savings: With simplified access management, staff now collectively save around 50 hours per match day, freeing up time for other operational needs.
• Immediate Deactivation of Lost Credentials: Lost transponders can be deactivated, ensuring that security is never compromised.
• Improved Control and Accountability: The audit trail feature allows managers to see who is accessing each area, when, and for how long, helping enforce security protocols across the entire stadium.

Venue Manager Stuart Jenkins noted the system’s operational efficiency, saying, “System 3060 has saved us hours on game days. The audit trail alone has enabled us to improve our security processes and communicate the importance of access control with all departments.”

The Northampton Saints team have documented their transition to the System 3060 solution in the video below. The stadium now joins the likes of the Allianz Arena in Munich in benefitting from the System 3060 digital locking system.

Why System 3060 Is Ideal For Sports Venues

System 3060 offers a flexible, scalable access control and security solution for large facilities like stadiums. It enhances security while providing ease of use for staff and volunteers. The real‑time, centralised control enables quick adjustments to access permissions, while digital locks remove the hassle of traditional key management.

For sports clubs and stadium managers, the System 3060 by SimonsVoss offers a forward‑thinking approach to stadium security, blending convenience with top‑tier security features for a reliable, future‑proof solution.

Find out more about SimonsVoss’ System 3060 and how it is changing sports facility management, empowering volunteers, and creating a more secure environment for all, in our free whitepaper, The Ultimate Playbook for Sports Security.