Fixing Ingress

What Sucks

One of the most underrated moments of attending a live sporting event is right after your ticket gets scanned. You're free of the stacked security line and a whole new world reveals itself. Without fail, at every football game I attend, I release a primal scream into the air at that moment - pure, concentrated adrenaline. It's the moment when I transform from 'party mode' to 'game time!'

One of the reasons I yell like that is because of the relief that comes from getting through security. The stress that comes from leaving your tailgate, choosing the right entry line, and then hoping everyone in your party gets through swiftly takes a toll. It has always amazed me that no matter how many gates there are and how many entry lines there are the security line is always backed up.

It's one thing to experience this frustration at your favorite team's stadium. Typically, I'm able to 'game the system' a bit at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo because I know the best times to go up and the best gates to go through, but choosing a line is still a total crapshoot. And road games? Fuhgettaboutit! There’s no way to know how bad the lines get, which gates secretly move people quicker than others, and what the security process is going to look like once you get to the front of the line. I’ve been to Bills games in Green Bay, New Orleans, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and New Jersey (yeah, it’s like that!) the past few seasons. I don’t remember every second of the security line – which is kind of the point. I’d remember a particularly terrible experience. This is more like waiting to board an airplane. It sucks. There’s nothing you can do about it. And you just try to forget about it and move on as quickly as you can. Upon searching for and finding these entry gate photos, I recall bad lines in Green Bay, New Orleans, and Kansas City. I also remember being stunned at the lack of lines in Baltimore and how smoothly the experience went at SoFi Stadium for the Thursday night opening game of the season. Which brings me to one of the solutions to ingress issues I recently came across: Evolv Technology.

Potential Solutions

For years, I thought the best fans could ever hope for would be a team/venue mobile app telling you how long the wait times were at each gate and in each specific line. Expectation management was my wish. If I know it’s going to take 45 minutes to get through security I can plan accordingly. The worst version of this lack of expectation management I experienced was the 2021 season opener between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bills. This was the home opener in Buffalo following the emergence of Josh Allen as an MVP candidate and the Bills as legitimate title contenders. And oh yeah… fans were allowed back in the stadium after the COVID season the year prior! The Bills organization did everything it could do to prep people for long lines. Proof of vaccination was required in addition to the usual security screening. That, plus the excitement around the home opener and pregame activities like a flyover would surely create a frenzy at the gates. My father and I left our tailgate a full 90 minutes before kick off time to be sure we didn’t miss a second. When we got to the gates… it was a ghost town. I don’t have a photo, probably because we walked right through. Sounds like a great experience, right? Not exactly. We had left so early and now we were stuck in the empty concourses of the stadium. The energy from the parking lots was gone and all we were left with was overpriced concession fare.

If the name of the game is setting expectations then sign me up for more games at SoFi Stadium. The mobile app gives walking directions and timing from any address to your specific section and row. My group and I tailgated out at the Hollywood Casino with the rest of BillsMafia. The lots we used are not on the stadium property, so I was especially impressed when I could punch in a location not within the venue grounds. I was able to add stops along the way for restrooms, beer, concessions, and food if I wanted. It was all I have ever wanted.

And then we got to the gates... I didn’t even realize it at the time because I was too overwhelmed at all the sights and sounds of SoFi, but I walked right through security without stopping once. Not only did I not have to wait in line, I also didn’t have to take out my keys, wallet, or cell phone. I was so surprised at how easy it all was I didn’t even have time to rev up for my primal scream! I did, however, grab a photo looking down on the entry gate (mostly because of the incredible view) - a funny bit of photography given I took the photo back in September.

A couple weeks ago I came across Evolv Technology and read up on their technology and implementation at NFL venues. They also provide security for other ticketed events, schools, casinos, and any other place where security lines can cause issues. I won’t delve into the technology too much here, but I urge you to check out Evolv Technology to learn more. By my count, Evolv ingress technology is improving the fan experience at NFL venues in Cleveland, Foxborough, Nashville, Atlanta, and - you guessed it – Los Angeles.

As a fan you have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes with Evolv Technology… which is the best part. You simply breeze right through an ingress point at a walking pace and go about your day. No waits. No wands. No backups. No delays. According to the Evolv website, the technology allows a screening capacity of up to 4,000 people per hour, which is about 10x faster than current security systems. Safety threats are more easily detected and do not impact the vast majority of attendees. This allows venues and security teams to allocate resources in a more efficient manner. Less people manning metal detectors and asking people to step aside for the wand treatment. More people helping fans find their seats, answering questions, and providing better security throughout the entire venue.

Improving the fan experience through technology and data analytics are what this blog and this website and my pursuit of a role in sports analytics is all about. I hope Evolv comes to your favorite NFL stadium soon if it’s not there already – looking at you Buffalo!

Check out Evolv Technology’s Stadium and Arenas page to learn more and be sure to check out the case studies!