Like so many other professional sports teams, the Philadelphia Eagles realized that their old stadium, which also doubled as the team’s practice facility and corporate offices, was antiquated. Veterans Stadium, or the “Old Vet,” as Philadelphia residents affectionately call it, is a dinosaur by today’s standards. The structure’s circa-1970 technology has become a burden and potential liability for its football team.
The Old Vet couldn’t accommodate what the Eagles needed: state-of-the-art weight training rooms, practice fields, physical therapy clinics and integrated offices. They also needed a seamless security system, which was provided by Security Services and Technology (SST) of Norristown, Pa. The installation included the latest in access control and CCTV technologies.
Offices at ‘Old Vet’ Are Scattered
Through the years, the Eagles have expanded their workforce and veterans stadium left very little room for growth. The employees had offices that were scattered throughout the facility, so logistics was a major concern.
Structural Integrity Is City’s Top Priority
The fact that the city of Philadelphia owns Veterans Stadium presented another challenge for the Eagles. According to Michael Murray, corporate operations manager for SST, “The Eagles and the Philadelphia Phillies pretty much got the short end of the stick on security upgrades.”
Dealer Pursues Facility and New Stadium Jobs
Enter SST and Mary Ann Gorman, the dealer’s senior account manager. She was aware that the Eagles were building a new practice facility and corporate headquarters. “We knew they were building a training center and that there were opportunities at this facility,” says Gorman.
Demo and Tour Help Win Practice Facility Bid
The bidding process took about four months and pitted SST against two other companies. The competition was stiff, with the bids being very close in price.SST brought in Sensormatic to do a software demonstration of the equipment it was proposing.
Malfunctions Are Quickly Fixed
The system has experienced some glitches that needed to be resolved. According to Anthony Vail, the Eagles’ facility manager, “There have been times when the system shut down or wasn’t functioning the way it should, but that didn’t happen very often.”
End-User Ideas Expedite Training Process
It is always a good idea to enlist the help of end-user personnel as much as possible. Often they come up with ways to make the entire process more efficient. Murray states that one Eagles employee in particular came up with a great idea.
Dealer, Client May Work Together in the Future
An even bigger project is currently being negotiated between the Eagles and SST. The dealer hopes to work with the Eagles on their security system for the team’s new stadium, which is presently being constructed. As of press time, however, the bid had not been secured.
