The National Football League (NFL) is on track to implement biometric ID verification in all the venues during this season – that’s 30 stadiums and 32 teams.
The identity and access management (IAM) system, based on NFL’s Express Access platform, that had been in the testing phase for three and a half years produced a pilot which included six teams last season.
This refers to on-field access and similar restricted areas and credentialed stadium personnel, although two of the six franchises – Cleveland and Atlanta – tried facial recognition for fans as well.
The method is now supposed to be implemented league-wide, noting that the facial recognition system will be centralized and that the likely key component will be provided by Wicket, a computer vision company.
Wicket is already involved in the testing and piloting process, and is linked, via its ownership structure, to one of the teams – the Cleveland Browns.
The news comes after the league’s less-than-stellar previous attempts to introduce ID verification, while the motive for a more efficient system is said to be NFL’s desire to “simplify” the process for staff, but also prevent fans from gaining access to stadiums using counterfeit credentials.
It seems that team owners are happy with how Wicket implemented facial recognition during the Super Bowl, although there is still no word as to exactly how effective it was. But NFL Director of Strategic Security Programs Andrea Schultz said it worked “amazing.”
Venues Now reports that the scheme works by comparing photos taken in real time at checkpoints with credential badges that include a person’s photo and a bar code.
As for Wicket, the firm noted in a press release that what it calls “the touchless ticketing solution” – i.e., Express Access – for fans came along with the pandemic, and has been in use at the Cleveland Browns stadium since the 2020 season.
The company also claims that fans “love” to be subjected to facial recognition as a form of authentication, and trust the technology – crediting this to teams, such as the Browns, sending fans “direct emails” and posting about “the benefits of Express Solutions” on their site.
