Armored Things, the crowd intelligence software company, and Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Football Club have announced a new technology collaboration to help ensure the safe return of fans to LAFC games.
The MLS club will implement Armored Things’ crowd intelligence solution at its Banc of California Stadium to enable a real-time understanding of fan flow and enable smarter decisions related to crowd density, space utilization, security and sanitation.
LAFC is widely recognized for its innovation in fan experience. Its 22,000-seat venue is one of the most high-tech venues for professional sports. Everything from ticketing to ordering food to paying for souvenirs at the team store, can be completed through the LAFC mobile app and Apple Pay.
“When fans return to Banc of California Stadium, the ability to measure crowd size and movement will be critical as we prepare to safely manage concourse traffic, operate concessions, and utilize club spaces,” said Christian Lau, chief technology officer at LAFC. “Armored Things’ crowd intelligence software provides us the ability to anticipate how our fans will move throughout the venue, so we can continue to enhance the guest experience.”
Armored Things’ provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that equips facility managers and stadium operators to reopen with confidence by providing real-time dashboard analytics about the density and flow of people in real-time. The software enables data-driven decisions around gate crowding, event staffing, security and sanitation. It also provides granular data on space occupancy, and alerts for anomalies or overcrowding to ensure compliance with new regulations and ensure a safer, more optimal experience for all.
LAFC plans to adopt Armored Things venue-wide including areas surrounding entry and exit points. It will leverage existing video cameras and Wi-Fi with other data sources to provide a real-time understanding of the flow of fans. The software will help optimize concession staffing, adjust security operations, redirect the flow of people, and inform decisions related to sanitation schedules.
“The ability to bring people back to live sporting events requires trust on the part of both fans and venues,” said Julie Johnson Roberts, Armored Things co-founder and CEO. “We’re very pleased to work with LAFC to deploy the latest security technologies and tools to help build and enhance that trust and enable real-time response to optimize the fan experience while maximizing their safety and security.”
