For NFL Fans, When is Enough, Enough?

As general manager of the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Carl Adkins understands that everything else takes a back seat to safety and security at public assembly venues of any kind. If he did not believe that way then chances are good he would be working in another profession.

Over the years, I have found Carl to be one of the most interesting IAVM members to talk to because of his refreshing candor that is not meant so much to debate or challenge as simply to ask, “What if?”

There is nothing wrong with questioning and in fact by asking questions the lines of dialogue and communication expand and better and better measures and outcomes are often the positive end results.

In addressing the NFL’s new bag policy, Adkins foremost dwelled on his role as a venue leader while at the same time posing some intriguing “What if” questions shared by many on message boards concerning the policy.

“As facility managers, safety always has to be job one,” said Adkins. “This is non-negotiable. And, while professionally we certainly intend to work closely with the Falcons to follow the league’s prescribed security best practices – this being the most recent – personally, I question where these types of solutions will ultimately lead our industry before we reach the tipping point of the average fan saying “enough is enough.” What’s next? Will 70,000 people be required to remove their shoes as a condition of entry into a stadium? Will there be full body scans a la the TSA process at the airport?

“What’s next? Will 70,000 people be required to remove their shoes as a condition of entry into a stadium?”

“Our daily American way of life could be classified as a ‘soft target’ – trips to the grocery store, the mall, the movies, public gatherings such as concerts and sporting events, whether amateur or professional. Collectively, every stakeholder in our business and government agencies from the DHS down to local public safety officials all need to be part of an ongoing dialogue seeking out solutions as to what is considered reasonable risk, how emerging technologies can be harnessed to mitigate risks and what we can do as industries and individuals to minimize risk within our facilities and communities.

“One thing’s for sure … this isn’t going to be the ‘end all, be all’ but it is one step in what continues to be a very long journey. In the meantime, we have to never lose sight of our ultimate responsibility – the safe and orderly operations of our facilities – while trying to balance and minimize the inconvenience to the core audiences that are our lifeblood.”