Working through airport security today, I had a sense of déjà vu. When going to a recent professional sporting event with my wife, we were anxious if her small clutch would meet the requirements for entry to the stadium or if it had to be thrown away. Holding it against an outline printed on laminated piece of paper, the security guard seemed dubious. Fortunately, some gentle persuasion led to the confession that “If it were up to me, I’d let all of it through” followed by a wave of permission to move-on to the metal detectors.
Tightening security regulations are not limited to pro stadiums anymore, however. College campuses have begun cracking-down on what is permissible inside their facilities, often to mixed reviews. With schools coming-up with creative ways to entice people to live competitions, regulations preventing seat-backs and diaper bags to be brought inside have some fans wondering if the balance of customer service and safety is shifting.
Some of the recent changes that have caught some fans by surprise include prohibiting backpacks, coolers, and anything other than a small purse. Using metal-detecting wands to scan entrants is also becoming more common on college campuses.
One of the most noted results of these increased security measures is the longer wait times to enter games. Not only do more regulations mean more time enforcing them, with more strenuous standards comes greater dissension from those who feel inconvenienced or misinformed, leading to time-consuming arguments and explanations. Some have reported simply turning around and watching on TV when faced with the prospect of throwing away prohibited items or facing the long lines for admission.
In today’s climate of global unrest and terrorism, schools should be proactive in ensuring the safety of its attendees. If preventing fanny packs and seat-backs is a key to lessening the risk of an incident, then athletic departments need to be reconsidering their own security policies. However, creating an inconvenience, like forbidding diaper bags for example, could surely hurt attendance, something no school wants or can afford.
For this reason, athletic departments must consider their own situations and not fall into a blanket, “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality regarding security. Just because Michigan, with its 100,000+ football attendees each home game, enacts a certain policy doesn’t mean fellow state institution CMU has to follow suit. While athletic departments need to constantly be reevaluating their policies for efficacy, being sure measures are appropriate and warranted is also required to make fans feel accommodated.
While taking off our shoes and belts at the airport security check, my traveling companion observed how much he loves TSA Pre-Check, a service that, for a fee, allows travelers to skip a lot of the rigmarole of airport security once they’ve had a background check and fingerprinting. The lines move faster and the whole process is much more convenient, he told me. Perhaps this is something colleges that need heightened security should consider. Long-time season ticket holders can register and then use a particular entrance that allows them to skip the lines and bring-in more items.
While schools can’t compromise on security around their events, athletic departments must find creative ways to ensure the game day experience is not drastically affected, lest they see a drop-off in enthusiasm and attendance.
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