Controlling Crowds in a Sporting Event

I agree with your argument Stephanie of controlling crowds in any event. It is true that in any sporting event, the success is summed up by how the security team is able to maintain order and ensure that every participant enters, stays, and leaves the venue safely. With different people exhibiting varying behaviors, it is hard to estimate the reaction of every individual to a loss or win by his/her team. With cases of alcohol consumption by fans being prevalent, the chances of the situation getting out of hand are high. Having the correct people to control the crowd will go a long way in ensuring the security of players, fans, and other participants, is maintained.

Alcohol is not the sole cause of violence or unruly behaviors in sporting events. There are other factors contributing to this phenomenon which include psychological factors, both internal and external, the rivalry between the competing teams, social elements such as joblessness among the participants, and fans' expectations of performance by their teams (Strang, Baker, Pollard, & Hofman, 2018) . It is therefore essential to put into consideration these aspects when training the security team so they can be able to study and respond to such triggers. With the large crowd attending a sporting event, it will not be possible to predict the behavior of each fan inside or around the stadium. It is therefore vital to equip the security team with the necessary skills to respond to the emergence of panic or unruly behavior. The primary goals of such responses would be to prevent injury or damage and offer a safer escape route to other fans and vulnerable individuals like children. It will also be equally important to equip the security personnel with the necessary tools and equipment like PA systems and security cameras to aid them to control the crowd. Having put all these measures in place, the security of every participant is greatly assured before, during, and after the game.

Reference 

Strang, L., Baker, G., Pollard, J., & Hofman, J. (2018). Violent and Antisocial Behaviours at Football Events and Factors Associated with these Behaviours: A rapid evidence assessment. I n Violent and Antisocial Behaviours at Football Events and Factors Associated with these Behaviours: A rapid evidence assessme nt. https://doi.org/10.7249/rr2580