Text by: Gary Gardner, VP North America Operations, InControl Enterprise Dynamics
Published in: Gameday Security Magazine
Crowd Management entails areas of concern involving the end-to-end event fan journey
- It begins with how people arrive: car (think parking), bus, rail, rideshare, and their pathways to the venue.
- Next is entry, queuing, screening, and ticket scanning.
- Once guests are in the venue, they will circulate and enjoy concessions, advertising activations, and
merchandise sales. - Some incidents during the event may require evacuation or sheltering.
- Finally, ensuring a smooth departure to a transportation mode.
Simulation is a powerful tool for event crowd management because it can model, analyze, and predict/anticipate
crowd behaviors in a safe, controlled, and cost-effective manner.
The goal is to leverage the best technologies coupled with the best human team to provide the best experience.
Simulation digital twin modeling has evolved from one-off ingress, evacuation, and sheltering models of a venue using historical data for predictive analytics to simulating each event using real-time data integration to protect and enhance the event experience.
Critical Metrics into Fan Experience
Safety and Security
71% of fans report insufficient response to incidents they have witnessed.
Safety and Security
40% of fans report witnessing unsafe or violent behavior at least once in the last year.
Safety and Security
Weather related shelters and evacuations have increased by 62% over the last 10 years.
Fan Experience
Fans spend an average of 42 minutes waiting in lines when attending major events.
Revenue Generation
10-15% of revenue comes from merchandise sales, but 60% of guests skip the lines because of their length.
Revenue Generation
Fans say they would spend $20 more on food or beverage if line times were cut in half.
Advantages of utilizing simulation in sport and entertainment safety and security planning:
- Simulations allow event planners to test scenarios without putting attendees at risk for any type of incident. Each event is different and should be simulated.
- Potential hazards, such as overcrowding/crushing, bottlenecks, or evacuation/sheltering challenges, can be identified and mitigated before the event occurs.
- Using simulation software, planners can analyze various data points, such as expected crowd size, venue layout, densities, bottlenecks, and movement patterns for people and traffic.
- Dynamic data integration from ticketing, scanning, GPS, cameras, sensors, and point of sale allows you to monitor behaviors as they happen, making real-time decisions and continuous improvement.
- These insights enable informed decisions about resource allocation, staff deployment, activations, and infrastructure design, enabling quick adjustments to manage congestion or address safety concerns.
- Simulations help determine the most efficient use of space within and outside a venue, including entrances, exits, seating arrangements, activations, pathways, tailgating, transportation, parking, and signage.
- Modern events have more complex floor plans than ever before. Each unique layout puts different stresses on staffing resources. Simulation is a tool for both safety and staffing efficiency.
- It can highlight areas prone to congestion and suggest adjustments to improve pedestrian and traffic flow.
- Tested and validated crowd dynamics simulation models can predict how crowds will respond to different situations, such as emergencies or delays of various demographics.
- This foresight allows for the development of robust emergency response plans, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring rapid evacuation/sheltering when necessary.
- Establish early warning systems by detecting unusual patterns, such as sudden crowd surges. Digital twins can alert organizers to potential hazards before they escalate.
- Testing different layouts, optimal staffing levels, and event schedules in a virtual digital twin environment is far more cost-effective than making real-world adjustments during or after an event.
- Revenue generation can be enhanced using simulations to optimize activation/concession placement, reduce queuing time, and improve
customer experience.
- Simulations can model a wide range of “what-if” scenarios, such as extreme weather, unexpected surges in attendance, or security incidents, such as active shooter or bombings.
- Virtual environments allow staff to practice handling different scenarios, improving preparedness and coordination.
- Minimize waiting times by optimizing crowd movement and reducing bottlenecks. Simulations contribute to a smoother, more enjoyable experience for attendees through more effective circulation and queuing.
- They can also aid in the placement of amenities like food stalls, restrooms, and information booths for maximum convenience, which enhances revenue.
- Slow service or even the perception is a deterrent to sales of more food and beverage; it also prevents some from even approaching concessions. Fixing this means direct rewards for venue operators.
- Personalized experiences with simulation can incorporate attendee preferences (e.g., preferred seating or faster access routes, reduced queuing) to design more user-friendly layouts.
- Digital twin simulations provide evidence that safety standards and legal requirements/ accountability have been met, simplifying the approval process for permits, such as safe
capacities for Fire Marshal approval. - Facilitates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) SAFETY Act certification planning and approval process (see dhs.gov).
- They offer detailed records and audit trails of crowd management efforts, which can be helpful for post-event evaluations or liability inquiries. This is particularly important for obtaining permits, ensuring legal accountability, and reducing liability.
- After an event, simulation tools can analyze crowd and camera data to identify areas for improvement in future events for both people and traffic.
- This continuous feedback loop enhances the long-term effectiveness of crowd management strategies.
- Eco-friendly planning by testing virtual layouts allows organizers to reduce the need for physical trials, cutting down on resource consumption, waste, and staff.
- Energy Efficiency simulations help optimize power usage by planning the location, timing, and operation of equipment like lighting and HVAC systems.
- Event staff, security staff, and first responders can use simulations to practice their roles in different scenarios, thereby improving readiness, coordination, and response.
“
Using simulation software was an intricate part of our SAFETY Act Certification preparation and application by demonstrating our ability to develop effective safety/security plans.
Richard Fenton
CSSP. Vice President/CSO, Corporate Security and Safety, Ilitch Holdings Inc., and NCS4 National Advisory Board Member
About TruVenue
TruVenue is a powerful simulation and digital twin application, designed for stadiums, arenas, campuses, and large-scale events. It provides venue operators with a virtual environment to test plans, evaluate risks, and optimize outcomes, before, during, and after live events.
For more information, visit the TruVenue page or visit us at the NCS4 Annual Conference in San Antonio.
Curious about how TruVenue can benefit your organization? Please contact us!
Chris Monroe
Program Manager TruVenue
chris.monroe@incontrolsim.com
+1 (313) 204-1705
Gary Gardner
Vice President North America
gary.gardner@incontrolsim.com
+1 (704) 239-2234
