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2020 National Sports Safety and Security Conference Convenes Online Soon

Tue, 09/29/2020 - 07:26am | By: Sara Priebe

2020 National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition October 12-14, 2020The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will collaborate with key stakeholders to pave “The Way Forward” during the 2020 National Sports Safety and Security Conference.

This immersive experience will be hosted on a virtual platform from October 12-14, 2020, in partnership with title sponsor Johnson Controls. The conference will be available on-demand for 12 months after the event ends.

“I’m very excited about the quality of programming and speakers at this year’s event,” said Dr. Stacey Hall, NCS4 Interim Director and College of Business and Economic Development Sport Management Professor at USM. “We will be covering topics deemed important by our industry stakeholders, and attendees will have the opportunity to engage with technology solution providers.”

“Major League Soccer (MLS) has always been committed to providing an exceptional guest experience in a safe and secure environment. During these unprecedented times we have relied on our relationships and the collaboration it brings to work through current challenges,” said Jeff Stonebreaker, MLS VP Safety and Security. “We are looking forward to the conference as an opportunity to share and to hopefully help others as they navigate these challenges as well.”

Keynote presentations from Thomas P. Bossert, Former U.S. Homeland Security Advisor, Trump Administration, and Don Garber, Commissioner, Major League Soccer, kick-off the conference.

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to sit in on a variety of presentations throughout the three-day conference. They will:

  • Hear from industry experts and leaders in the field on what they are doing now, as we face the unprecedented realities of COVID-19 and its effects on the sport and entertainment industry. Concerts and Live Events: Challenges, Outlooks and Strategies for Non-traditional Venues focuses on one of the hardest hit business sectors from the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-traditional spaces face a unique set of challenges whether it be outdoor festivals, concerts or fairs, athletic events such as endurance events, and political events. This panel delves into how best to reopen, how to push policy and procedures to regulators, and how to balance public health information and advisement into existing security and safety plans.
  • Learn solutions on the safe reconvening of sports and entertainment events and collaborate together with key stakeholders to embrace challenges and develop solutions. Navigating the Bubble: Health Safety and Security explores preparation for the NHL restart and NBA start, life inside the “bubble”, and lessons learned that can be applied to opening other venues and enterprises.
  • Gain knowledge from expert panels designed to facilitate current conversations and answer questions. In A Guide to Returning to Play, a panel of leading experts in health, safety, fan experience, law enforcement and venue operations discuss the challenges they face, what they have learned, and how they are prepared to go forward.

On day two of the conference, guests will choose from one of six breakout sessions ranging in topics from leveraging data for safety and security to disinfecting large venues, risk management and leveraging technology.

“We are thrilled to kick off our first virtual conference by bringing together highly regarded speakers and panelists to provide content that is important and relevant to the sports and entertainment industry,” said Lauren Cranford, NCS4 Senior Associate Director of Operations. “They will not only share lessons learned and challenges but will also focus on solutions to pave the way forward in these unprecedented times.”

The complete agenda is available on the conference website, including all of the topics, speaker bios, and detailed information on the presentations.

Registration costs are $199 for NCS4 Connect members and $249 for non-members. Visit ncs4.usm.edu/conference to register or for additional information.

 


 

About NCS4:

Established in 2006, the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) is the nation’s only academic center devoted to the study and practice of sports and entertainment safety and security. The NCS4 is partially underwritten by grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and its mission centers around three key pillars – Research, Training and Education, and Outreach. For more information about NCS4, call 601.266.6183 or visit www.ncs4.usm.edu.