National Center for Spectator Sports Readies for 2013 Conference

With three successful conferences already under their belts, officials at the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴), expect the fourth edition to be even bigger and better.

The 4^th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition is set for July 16-18, 2013 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Orlando. The theme for this year's conference is “Sharing New Knowledge: A Global Perspective.”

“There is a growing interest in sport safety and security at professional and college settings,” said NCS⁴ Director Dr. Lou Marciani. “The conference and exhibition provides a wholesome environment for sport venue security personnel, event services, first responders, manufacturers, government agencies and league security officials to learn more about security/safety technologies, services and education.”

Keynote speaker and best-selling author of “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” Charles Duhigg will discuss how habits are not destiny. By harnessing this new science, Duhigg will show how individuals can transform their sport safety and security programs, communities, and lives.

Duhigg, a prize-winning investigative reporter for the business section of The New York Times, will describe how habits form the framework for the sustainable cultures that sports safety and security organizations need to accomplish goals and serve their missions.

The 2012 conference included a sellout among exhibitors and attendees. The conference also featured a keynote address by IndyCar CEO Mike Randy Bernard. NCS4 officials expect at least 300 attendees for the 2013 conference and have reserved space for as many as 53 exhibitors.

Among the many topics scheduled for discussion during the three-day conference are the following:

• National Forum: Building a Culture of Excellence in Sport Safety and Security
• The Power of Habit
• Achieving Full Career Potential with Certifications
• Risk-Based Screening and Technology at Gate Entry
• Protecting the Brand
• Using Technology for Command, Control and Communications

Established in 2006, the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at The University of Southern Mississippi was created to provide an interdisciplinary academic environment to further increase sport security awareness, improve sport security policies and procedures and enhance emergency response through evacuation, recovery operations and crowd management training.

For more information on the conference and NCS⁴, visit www.ncs4.comand http://www.ncs4.com/conference/.