Keeping Your Stadium Safe
With restrictions on social gatherings looking set to remain in place for some time yet, many stadiums across the UK are standing empty. Colin Campbell, Managing Director of Codelocks, talks about what this means for security – and how access control technology can help stadium managers at this time.
Securing Stadiums: The Right Lock For The Job
Stadium managers have always needed to prepare for the unexpected, but restrictions on large social gatherings have made it even harder to judge levels of risk to property. Many stadiums across the UK are currently standing empty – while others are being repurposed to help in the fight against Covid 19. In either case, stadium managers face new challenges in providing appropriate access control to help prevent break-ins, theft and damage.
Flexible Access For Unusual Times
Even while not in use, stadiums require constant upkeep, and must be kept secure. But with social distancing restrictions in place, cleaners, groundworkers and maintenance staff must work in separate shifts. With fewer service staff on site, each working different shifts and in different areas, providing access to the required areas of premises at the right time is essential. One effective way to achieve this is through the use of smart locks. Smart locks combine the convenience of keyless operation with the extra control and functionality afforded by smart technology.
Using wireless technology and an Application Programming Interface (API), you can create codes that have a specified start date, time and duration that will automatically expire. Stadium managers can provide the required levels of access for essential workers and important deliveries without compromising on security – even while they themselves are working remotely. By automating code generation, the need for staff onsite to control access is dramatically reduced and, in many cases, removed.
Meanwhile, some stadiums have been offering their car parks as storage facilities for the NHS, and others (such as the Amex Stadium) have been used as drive-in test centres. In this situation, managers face a complex task to ensure everyone on site has the right level of access. Smart locks provide a flexible solution that can be put in place very quickly. Authorisation codes can be simply automated and sent by smartphone without the need for personal contact.
Ensuring Fans Return To The Best Possible Stadium Experience
Once restrictions on social gatherings are lifted, fans will be flocking back to stadiums to support their teams. Until then, stadium managers can use the time to update facilities and make changes for the future to deliver an even better experience.
One area where access control technology improves user experience is with lockers. It is often a source of frustration for fans, having already queued for entry, to have to do so again at the cloakroom. A further frustration is that many stadiums have rigid restrictions on bag sizes. Attendees who are unaware of these restrictions may end up faced with a set of unpopular choices – returning to their vehicles (which could be some distance away) abandoning their property, or even missing out on the game.
Off-site lockers can help, but are labour-intensive to maintain and, even with the most efficient staff, tend to generate long queues. Combining offsite lockers with a smart-lock solution avoids this issue. Users can book a locker at the same time as ordering their ticket and receive a unique access code that works only within a given time frame on a specified date. Attendees who arrive with restricted items, but haven’t booked a locker, can simply access an online portal using their mobile phone and purchase a locker to use straight away. And, of course, staff can be onsite with tablets for those attendees that don’t have access to a phone.
TIAA Bank Field, home to the NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars, put a system like this in place, and were delighted with the results. “We went from an extensive check-in process with 12 or more employees working long hours, to only needing five employees to complete the process,” says Ryan Prep, Director of Facility Operations.
Improving Staff Facilities
Existing staff lockers can also be easily upgraded by fitting digital locks, which can be either card or code operated. With RFID card locks, a facilities manager can remotely manage a large number of cards from a computer, cutting down on administration. Card operated smart locks can provide solutions for both private and public use. For private use, a user can be issued with a card that will only open their own personal locker. For public use the card can secure any unused locker, and then unlock it ready for the next user. This cuts down on the number of lockers needed to meet staff needs – and is an ideal solution for shared facilities including gyms, locker rooms and staff lockers.
Locks For The Future
With flexibility becoming more important and customer expectations always on the rise, coded locks look set to become more prevalent, and are an excellent way to provide convenient access control for modern stadiums. If you are looking to upgrade the access control at your stadium, there are an ever-growing range of solutions to choose from.
