By Ike Richman
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded Prevent Advisors, a highly regarded security specialist in sports, live entertainment, and meeting facilities, with a SAFETY Act Designation for the company’s industry-leading Red Team Assessment Services.
Prevent Advisors’ Red Team Assessment Services is a proprietary systematic assessment program specifically designed 
to fully evaluate all components of a venue’s physical security measures. Prevent Advisors assists its clients – stadiums, arenas, and convention centers – to further enhance their overall security apparatus by addressing security needs, creating ongoing security policies and procedures, implementing these procedures, and continuously adjusting as needed.
Prevent Advisors is a flagship service company of OVG360, which is the third-party venue management, venue services and hospitality division of Oak View Group, a global sports and entertainment company focused on being a positive disruption to business as usual in the sports, live entertainment, and hospitality industries.
It is the first time the DHS awarded a SAFETY Act Designation to a Red Team Assessment Service.
“Safety and Security will always be a foundational principle in the live sports and entertainment industry, and we have built a world class security division that supports professional sports leagues and entertainment venues security programs,” said Michael Downing, Chief Security Advisor, Oak View Group’s Prevent Advisors, and former Deputy Chief, Counter Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau, Los Angeles Police Department. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s recent Safety Act Designation Award to Prevent Advisors speaks volumes to our commitment in this space.”
“This first of its kind SAFETY Act award is a recognition by DHS that the methodology created by Prevent Advisors is an effective tool that all venue operators should be leveraging as part of their own venue security program,” said Akmal Ali, CEO of Aluma and former Deputy Director of the SAFETY Act program within U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The award comes after Prevent Advisors demonstrated its expertise in the security world to DHS, validating the company’s extensive training and continuing education process its auditors undergo to ensure the company can provide maximum benefit to its clients.
Prevent Advisors’ current partners include professional sports leagues and teams, sport and live music entertainment venues and festivals, and corporate campuses.
Prevent Advisors develop and implement full security solutions tailored to meet the 21st century demands of the sports, entertainment, and meetings facility industry. Core Services include Prevention & Risk Analysis, Security Consulting & Solutions, Intelligence Service, and Training & Crisis Response.
Prevent Advisors’ services can also be an add-on for OVG360 clients where the company manages and operates public assembly facilities, OVG Hospitality where the company provides food and beverage services, or the OVG Arena Alliance.
“The safety of our guests, performers, athletes, and staff is our top priority,” said Tim Leiweke, Chairman & CEO, Oak View Group. “We are proud of our Prevent Advisors’ work at all our facilities and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s recognition.”
Ike Richman is president of Ike Richman Communications.
