Strategies for Securing Sporting and Entertainment Event Venues

November 4, 2026

1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 10:00 AM PT / 6:00 PM GMT 

Duration: 1 hour

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A certificate of attendance will be offered.

Summary

As global sporting events, concerts, festivals, political rallies, and other mass gatherings continue to attract larger crowds, they have also become increasingly attractive targets for terrorism, criminal activity, cyberattacks, civil unrest, and disruptive behavior. Recent incidents, including vehicle attacks on public gatherings, drone incursions over stadiums, cyberattacks against venue operators, coordinated ticket fraud, and growing concerns surrounding politically motivated violence, have highlighted the need for a comprehensive, intelligence-driven approach to venue security. Security leaders must protect people while preserving the guest experience, balancing visible deterrence with hospitality and operational efficiency.

This executive panel will examine how modern venue security has evolved beyond traditional guards and metal detectors into an integrated ecosystem combining intelligence sharing, behavioral detection, advanced technology, emergency preparedness, and interagency coordination. Panelists will discuss practical strategies applicable to professional sports, collegiate athletics, concerts, conventions, festivals, and campaign events.

Topics will include counterterrorism planning for soft targets, hostile vehicle mitigation, bombing prevention, drone detection, cybersecurity, severe weather preparedness, crowd science, spectator violence, real-time monitoring and surveillance and situational crime prevention. The discussion will also explore emerging technologies including AI-assisted video analytics, weapons detection systems, credential intelligence, mobile monitoring and mobile command platforms, robotics, the use of canine-assisted manned force, and integrated access control systems that enable earlier threat identification and faster response.

Beyond technology, the panel will emphasize the importance of risk assessments, crisis communications, business continuity planning, evacuation strategies, intelligence sharing between public and private partners, and ongoing security exercises. Panelists will also address the challenge of maintaining a welcoming environment while implementing robust protective measures that are inclusive, accessible, and proportionate to evolving threats.

Attendees will gain actionable insights into developing layered security strategies that strengthen resilience, improve operational readiness, and protect attendees, performers, athletes, public officials, and venue personnel across today's increasingly complex threat landscape.

Discussion Points:

• Securing Today's Soft Targets Requires Layered Defense
  Explore how sporting venues, concert arenas, political rallies, and public festivals are implementing intelligence-led, layered security strategies that combine physical security, behavioral detection, cybersecurity, and real-time threat intelligence to address an increasingly diverse threat landscape.
• Technology Is Transforming Event Security Operations
  Examine how AI-powered video analytics, autonomous security robots, advanced weapons detection, drone detection and mitigation, credential intelligence, integrated access control, and canine-assisted security teams are enabling earlier threat detection while improving operational efficiency.
• Preparing for the Full Spectrum of Risks
  Discuss how security leaders are developing comprehensive preparedness plans for terrorism, hostile vehicles, cyberattacks, crowd violence, severe weather, active assailants, drone incursions, and emergency evacuations through risk assessments, tabletop exercises, and multi-agency planning.
• Building Strong Public-Private Security Partnerships
  Learn how venue operators, law enforcement, emergency management, intelligence agencies, private security providers, and technology partners share intelligence, coordinate incident response, and create unified command structures that improve resilience before, during, and after major events.
• Protecting People Without Compromising the Guest Experience
  Discover best practices for balancing visible security with hospitality by creating welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environments that maintain public confidence while enhancing safety through smart screening, crowd management, crisis communications, and business continuity planning.

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