In today’s world, where houses are printed and cars are driving themselves, there are still unsolved issues such as football violence.
In today’s world, where houses are printed and cars are driving themselves, there are still unsolved issues such as football violence. Besides being a major challenge, it is a very costly one, due to strict penalties and barriers to ticket sales, which can be also derived from violence issues. So what can a stadium do, if all the traditional solutions fail and families rather watch the games from their couch, instead taking a risk?
There is an award winning arena in the heart of Europe, where match days are not like anywhere else. There are roaring crowds, hands in the air and singing fans in their club shirts and scarves, but there is something that is “missing” from the 23 500 seated stadium. What makes the Hungarian Groupama Arena so special is the lack of violence, which is something that almost no club has to go next door.
Despite the current situation, the atmosphere was quite different three years ago at the 29-times Hungarian Champion Ferencváros’ stadium, where pyrotechnics and heated conflicts between supporters were regular side effects of the games. In spite of costly penalties and games behind closed doors, violence was seemingly unstoppable. Three years have passed since then and the Hungarian stadium made the impossible possible. They have put an end to football violence once and for all.
So what is inside the stadium that keeps hooligans outside? A novel solution, which is rather a security concept than a simple product, the StadiumGuard. This latest biometric solution, the palm vein scanner is responsible for letting thousands of people inside the stadium, while keeping troublemakers outside – creating a zero tolerance concept for violence with the wave of a hand. Sounds simple, right? Just like the process itself: fans put their hand above the sensor at one of the 36 gates of the stadium and if the person is not blacklisted, it takes only a blink of an eye to get a green light. What is next? Enjoying the game in a safe environment.
In the past years, the biometric system based on palm vein recognition has brought more than expected. Seems a bit far-fetched? Then let the numbers speak for themselves, namely the zero act of violence, zero pyrotechnics and zero racist abuse, proving that there is a simple solution, literally in our hands, which truly works even in stadium environment. The key is a 100% personalised ticket. The Hungarian arena’s three-year success story has shown that family-friendly stadiums have not gone out of fashion, what is more, there is great need for facilities, where fans from 1 to 100 can equally enjoy a safe environment.
According to the company behind the technology, BioSec Group, it takes some time for people to adapt to something that is so different. The situation is the same at the Groupama Arena, where even there are more than 100 000 registered users in the system, a group of fans are still against the technology. “In people’s minds, access control is equal to tickets, cards and PIN codes, so it is understandable that they have doubts when it comes to something that is not like what they were used to. On the other hand, as people are using the technology, they experience its benefits immediately, which are quite convincing. Just like seeing mothers bringing their children to the games, which is the greatest compliment for me.” told BioSec Group CEO, Péter Györgydeák.
Product Adopted:Biometrics