James A. DeMeo, M.S.

When overseeing operations for stadiums and venues, GM's and Venue Directors are entrusted with providing a safe and secure patron environment. Profit margins will factor into any prosperous business scenario. I will pose the following questions for Group Discussion:

1. How do you operate your venue or stadium? Do you utilize a full time, part time, or combination of both for personnel staffing?

2.What are the advantages/disadvantages of both types of security deployments?… Show more

When overseeing operations for stadiums and venues, GM's and Venue Directors are entrusted with providing a safe and secure patron environment. Profit margins will factor into any prosperous business scenario. I will pose the following questions for Group Discussion:

1. How do you operate your venue or stadium? Do you utilize a full time, part time, or combination of both for personnel staffing?

2.What are the advantages/disadvantages of both types of security deployments?

3.Which group is more familiar with the physical aspects of your stadium or venue?

4. Retention: What have you experienced with your security staffing initiatives?

5. Which group gets more training? Why? Why not?

6. In case of a true emergency, which group will lead your patrons to safety?

7.How often do you revamp your staffing to best suit the needs of the well-paying patrons? Show less

I had the good fortune of spending a week during early July in Indy at the NCS4 Sports Security Conference. With over 400 Industry professionals in attendance, the stakes from both a safety and financial standpoint could not be any higher. This year's Conference theme was " The Business of Sport Safety and Security". Cleveland Cavs CEO Len Komoroski took part in the panel discussion on this presentation. Today's Sport and Entertainment Industry has what I consider having the 3 C's, Crossover… Show more

I had the good fortune of spending a week during early July in Indy at the NCS4 Sports Security Conference. With over 400 Industry professionals in attendance, the stakes from both a safety and financial standpoint could not be any higher. This year's Conference theme was " The Business of Sport Safety and Security". Cleveland Cavs CEO Len Komoroski took part in the panel discussion on this presentation. Today's Sport and Entertainment Industry has what I consider having the 3 C's, Crossover. Congruence, Connectivity, between Sports Finance/Marketing and Sports Security Professionals. C suite level executives have now afforded Security Directors a proverbial seat at the table during operational discussions. Ask any ownership group what keeps them up at night and they will tell you a security breech at their venue or arena. Any adverse situation can potentially damage an organizations Brand. Sports Marketers face challenges with getting fans to attend and an event live and in person due to large screen LED's and the home theater experience. Sports finance is tied into sponsorship dollars which are invested back into a company's bottom line, enhanced profit margins. All it takes is one drone attack, fire, explosion, bomb like situation, brand is adversely affected, and loss of life is a real concern. Consumer behavior will be affected as well. Show less

We live in a technologically paced society filled with many challenges. In terms of the Sports and Entertainment Industry, Sports Security Professionals constantly face security challenges and potential breeches with respect to protecting company brand. The welfare and safety of the well-paying patrons who attend these events should also never be neglected. The emergence of drones at sporting stadiums is ever present and its significance should not be understated. Just recently, MLB has seen… Show more

We live in a technologically paced society filled with many challenges. In terms of the Sports and Entertainment Industry, Sports Security Professionals constantly face security challenges and potential breeches with respect to protecting company brand. The welfare and safety of the well-paying patrons who attend these events should also never be neglected. The emergence of drones at sporting stadiums is ever present and its significance should not be understated. Just recently, MLB has seen several "fly over" scenarios which keep event management and security officials on guard. Furthermore, the UCLA Football team uses drone technology to study linemen position as a learning tool to enhance player field performance. There is without question a growing need to further study the impact drones can have on sporting events. Brand Protection and Fan Safety are paramount to an organization’s success in many ways. Reducing risks makes fans much safer and protects ownership from inherent liabilities. The presence of drones is now becoming somewhat of a controversial issue which needs further exploration. Show less

I personally adhere to the concept of forming and building relationships as you build your own personal Brand. Yes, this is a highly competitive job market, no question. What will make you stand out from your peers are 5 things which I follow daily:

Positive Mindset- You need to have a thought process which lends itself to "Believing" you will succeed.

Perseverance/Patience- You have to keep trying, moving ahead towards your path to success. I call it being " professionally… Show more

I personally adhere to the concept of forming and building relationships as you build your own personal Brand. Yes, this is a highly competitive job market, no question. What will make you stand out from your peers are 5 things which I follow daily:

Positive Mindset- You need to have a thought process which lends itself to "Believing" you will succeed.

Perseverance/Patience- You have to keep trying, moving ahead towards your path to success. I call it being " professionally persistent". This is not a race but rather a marathon of endurance.

Continuing Education- By constantly reading, pursuing certifications, additional training, Webinars, Seminars, you name it, you have to be intellectually in "The Game".

Technology- LinkedIn and Twitter are excellent social medial platforms which can help you bridge the gap for making professional connections and expanding your network base.

Thankful- By being truly Grateful and Thankful for all that you have. Remember the glass is always "half full". Show less

We are all acutely aware of how challenging the Great Recession has been in terms of job creation and opportunities for growth. Many economists would say that the recovery has been sideways at best. High unemployment and the underemployed face difficulties not only finding jobs but keeping their skills sharp and fine-tuned.

Taking ownership of yourself, education, and background, are keys to finding success. How do you approach both personal/professional development? The aspect of… Show more

We are all acutely aware of how challenging the Great Recession has been in terms of job creation and opportunities for growth. Many economists would say that the recovery has been sideways at best. High unemployment and the underemployed face difficulties not only finding jobs but keeping their skills sharp and fine-tuned.

Taking ownership of yourself, education, and background, are keys to finding success. How do you approach both personal/professional development? The aspect of enhancing professional business relationships is a key fundamental concept to bridging the gap towards success. The real question is how do we make this happen?

Creating personal value comes from within you. Do you approach business relationships with a positive mindset? Are you making the right connections as you expand your network base? Effective relationships take time, they do not just happen overnight. Being patient shows you have what it takes to ride out any storm. Success takes a great deal of hard work and tireless effort.

Branding is a means to market yourself in an ultra-competitive job market. Looking at your skill set and assessing what really makes you stand out from the competition, makes you relative to an employer. Showing your value and talents makes you worth hiring. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are two good examples to stay technologically relative while building business relationships. But is this enough to get hired? Continuing education and training will not only help fine tune your skills but keep your current in your industry.

The legendary UCLA College Basketball coach John Wooden was famous not only victories on the court but for being a strong proponent of personal development. Coach Wooden’s tireless work ethic and high standards made him successful. Be positive, surround yourself with positive mentors. Most importantly believe in yourself, by doing so, doors will open for you like never before. Show less

We all know that technology is ever present and here to stay. Social Media Platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter better virtually connect sports fans so that they can live in the moment of an event, performance, or concert, while also making professional connections with career pursuits. iBeacon technology is becoming commonplace at sporting events with marketers and their efforts for connectivity with the well paying patrons. What better way than to have an App on your Smartphone capable of… Show more

We all know that technology is ever present and here to stay. Social Media Platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter better virtually connect sports fans so that they can live in the moment of an event, performance, or concert, while also making professional connections with career pursuits. iBeacon technology is becoming commonplace at sporting events with marketers and their efforts for connectivity with the well paying patrons. What better way than to have an App on your Smartphone capable of upgrading your seats, buying merchandise and ordering food and beverages at your favorite event. ? As a Sports Security Professional, I am constantly looking at ways to connect Sports Marketers with Security/ Risk Management Professionals. I like the idea of having a Security App on your Smartphone where you can discreetly send text messages, emails to Stadium Security staff to assist with preventing problems from occurring in the first place. How to best deal with the intoxicated fan in Section 101 ? How about following the mantra, " see something say something", by texting information and knowledge to Security personnel, who are usually nearby or in a Command Center, who can quickly dispatch staff to the area in question to address any issues/concerns at an arena or sporting venue. Smartphones can be used for many reasons, why not also by helping keep everyone safe and secure by letting the professionals do their jobs. This will help both the sport marketers with increased profit margins through merchandise sales and reduced liabilities by mitigating risk. Show less

We all know that the Sports and Entertainment Industry is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. With that being said, the significance of protecting fans and properly securing sporting venues can at times be challenging. Yes, from a sports marketing perspective, it is important to protect your Brand. Lessons learned and ongoing training/ education are imperative for Event Management/ Sports Security Professionals to stay on top of their game. The need for highly trained professionals goes without… Show more

We all know that the Sports and Entertainment Industry is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. With that being said, the significance of protecting fans and properly securing sporting venues can at times be challenging. Yes, from a sports marketing perspective, it is important to protect your Brand. Lessons learned and ongoing training/ education are imperative for Event Management/ Sports Security Professionals to stay on top of their game. The need for highly trained professionals goes without saying. If you want to protect your Brand and watch your investment dollars grow, you need to recruit highly motivated, trained security professionals, to help protect your greatest commodity, the well-paying patrons that support your business. My current goals are to better connect Sports Marketers and Event Management/Sports Security Professions by continuing to educate myself in the latest Security Protocols/Procedures and available education on this most important aspect of the Sport and Entertainment Industry. Finding the right balance between increasing profit margins and proper compensation for Sports Security Professionals is a goal that I strive to meet on a daily basis. Show less

Goals and Objectives: Instill knowledge and expertise by offering training, resources, and education in a highly specialized field. Offer skill set and personal insight to College Students, Practitioners, and Higher Education Professionals. Conduct further research, write blogs, expand knowledge base, create opportunities, grow both professionally and personally. Continue to utilize Social Media Platforms such as LinkedIn, Skype, and Google + Hangout to further expand my reach in a focused… Show more

Goals and Objectives: Instill knowledge and expertise by offering training, resources, and education in a highly specialized field. Offer skill set and personal insight to College Students, Practitioners, and Higher Education Professionals. Conduct further research, write blogs, expand knowledge base, create opportunities, grow both professionally and personally. Continue to utilize Social Media Platforms such as LinkedIn, Skype, and Google + Hangout to further expand my reach in a focused effort to accomplish intended goals. Show less