How Fully Committed Are Fans to Use an App For a Safe Journey Experience at the Stadium?

Do you enjoy sports? Is the prospect of watching a game in a stadium filled with cheering fans thrilling? But, are the potential safety hazards that come with a stadium holding you back? Stadium crowd incidents are nothing new.

Since I was a kid, I've been hearing of crowd surges that led to stampedes or emergency crowd evacuations that left people trampled. As a huge sports fan, I want to be able to go to the stadium with my friends, sit on our seats, eat our food, and enjoy the match – and I'm sure that's what most other fans want, too. So the question is, how do we give fans the ideal stadium experience?

In reality, a lot of companies are trying to come up with measures to ensure fan safety at sports events. There's a lot of different ideas and solutions that have popped up. One such solution that's gaining some traction is safety and security management systems. These are apps that improve preparedness, awareness and help with decision making in emergency situations. But, how fully committed are fans to use an app for a safe journey experience at the stadium?

Most fans are likely to use a mobile device during an event, so they may be more considerably committed to the idea, which makes using systems like these a pretty good solution.

Threats Present in Stadiums

When a crowd gathers, there's always a threat of stampedes. Crowds, especially hyped-up ones such as those at sports events, become nearly impossible to control. Think about a crowd at a football event; I'm talking tens of thousands of people in one stadium. Now let's say there's been an emergency of some sort, and evacuation is necessary.

In an emergency, people panic. When they panic, they're not going to think decisions through and show adherence to the rules. They're going to start running towards the exits, and this situation can get out of control. Essentially, this can also lead to people being injured or dying in large crowds.

Currently, we're all practicing social and physical distancing, so you may think that since crowds are smaller, stadiums will be safer to go to. This isn't necessarily true. In any crowd, no matter how far apart you are initially when you're in an emergency situation, you'll all group together. This increases the transmission risk of not only COVID-19 but a number of other viruses and infections.

So, why is it so difficult for stadiums to manage these threats? The problem is that current safety procedures are rather outdated. Most stadiums rely on paper-based procedures and evacuation plans that may seem to work theoretically, but never do in real life.

In addition to this, there also seems to be a lack of trained personnel on the scene. Emergency crowd evacuations are high-stress situations in which people can behave rather unpredictably. It’s vital to have enough on-ground stewards that are aware of what to do in such situations can manage a crowd effectively.

What Can I Do as a Sports Fan?

Fan safety should be important to every fan. If you play your part in ensuring you’re taking the necessary precautions, you can help make sports events safe and fun for everyone. So, what is it that you can do?

Don’t crowd in busy areas

Every stadium has certain areas that are filled with large groups, such as the restroom area or the food stalls. Not only do these places become breeding grounds for the coronavirus, but there’s also a higher chance of injuries happening if a large crowd is gathered here during an emergency evacuation.

Use ultrawideband bracelets

Ultrawideband (UWB) bracelets use radio frequencies to inform you when you're less than 6 feet apart from someone. Of course, given the social and physical distancing we're all doing, this is a great tool to use because it minimizes the risk of transmission.

However, it also helps prevents large crowds from forming and lowers any risk of a stampede or suffocation happening during an emergency evacuation.

Adherence to the rules

This seems like a pretty obvious one, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t follow simple rules. To minimize any safety risks present in a stadium, follow the rules. Wear a mask, keep your distance, and follow the instructions stewards give you in the middle of an emergency evacuation. Try your best not to panic.

What Can a Safety and Security Management System Do?

One way to ensure a safe stadium experience is by using a safety and security management system, such as the T4S. The T4S is a platform that aims to improve preparedness and situation awareness in emergencies that require evacuation.

How does it work? The program presents a visual representation of a situation as it unfolds in real-time, essentially providing a bird's eye view. The operator of the software can use this representation to understand the situation better.

The T4S also has a mobile application that doubles as a communication mechanism. During an emergency evacuation, safety personnel can report existing or new fan safety threats, and security personnel can dispatch stewards to attend to these threats.

This platform also communicated what the optimal route to safety is for fans by activating exit signs and using media screens. The platform also has other features, such as providing safe guidance for attendees, people counting technologies, and the provision of real-time, dynamic evacuation plans.

The TS4 can also be integrated with Transport for London. By doing this, attendees will get a detailed home journey plan that will allow them to reach home safely after the event too. So, it guarantees fan safety both during and after the event.