FOXBORO, Mass. — Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV), a provider of weapons detection security screening, announces Gillette Stadium will being using its Evolv Express Systems to “create better fan experiences.”
Evolv Express combines sensor technology with artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics to help ensure safer public venues and more accurate threat detection while getting visitors to their seats in a faster and better manner, according to the company.
Fans that flock to Gillette Stadium can now walk through the entrance gates, avoiding long lines or having to stop, as Evolv says its systems are trained to spot weapons and other potential threats while ignoring other items like keys, loose change and cell phones.
The weapons detection provider states this technology creates better customer experiences as fans anticipate the next big win by the New England Patriots or the New England Revolution, or sing along with their favorite musical headliner performing to a sold-out crowd.
“Entertainment is our business, but safety is our top priority,” says Gillette Stadium COO Jim Nolan. “To ensure the continued safety of our guests, we conducted a thorough evaluation that led to the easy decision of choosing Evolv Technology.”
As a sports and entertainment venue with 65,878 seats, Gillette Stadium is the full-time home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution and is one of the world’s top-grossing concert venues, according to Billboard.
The venue annually hosts a diverse variety of other major ticketed events, including international soccer matches, NCAA athletics, professional lacrosse, motor sports and high school football state championships. In 2016, Gillette Stadium hosted the NHL Winter Classic, and was recently named the host venue for the 2023 Army-Navy Game and 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches.
Gillette Stadium is said to be the first venue of its kind to regularly host corporate and social functions unrelated to ticketed events. Today, its special events department is a major part of the stadium’s 365-day operation, managing and hosting hundreds of functions annually.
“As we celebrate another major professional sports stadium’s choice of Evolv Technology, we also recognize the growing need to help ensure the safety of fans and staff,” says John Baier, Evolv Technology’s vice president of sports. “Metal detectors, once a staple in public safety, have gone the way of pay phones and fax machines. With AI-based systems, we believe fans have better experiences while venues have a more sophisticated and less intrusive way to identify and address potential threats.”
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