About Us The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) was founded in 2020. IIFX’s vision is to be the leading and most trusted global authority on providing exceptional, memory-making fan experiences for the sports and entertainment industry. The Institute focuses on the fan journey and creating the ideal fan experience for its member organizations, one that results in increased revenue, sustainable growth, operational efficiency, a diversified workforce, new and repeat attendance, and maximized health, safety, and security through best practices, innovative technology solutions, and high-quality services. IIFX produces content and events and facilitates dialogue and collaboration around its core areas of expertise. Our FANCENTRIC Podcast Series explores topics about the sports and entertainment industry that should interest all fans throughout their journey. Our guests include visionary industry thought leaders, advanced practitioners, authors, technologists, and fans from around the world. We are bound together by passion and the incomparable skills of visionary thought leaders throughout the international community. Along with our technical and subject matter experts, we discuss new ways to change the world’s sports and entertainment fan experience for the better.
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December 27, 2024Episode 1122 min
FANCENTRIC TECH - ALO.AI - Facility Operations at Hyperspeed
Facility Operations at HyperspeedJoin Dr. Lou and his guest, Jeremy Longinotti, CEO and Co-Founder of ALO as they discuss revolutionizing high-traffic public facilities, including stadiums, arenas, malls, zoos, entertainment districts, and more. The ALO system is a communications platform that integrates video surveillance, guest communication, staff communication, and incident management. It can provide the level of experience customers expect, and gain the risk management that the sports and entertainment industry can use to boost their guest experience.The ALO platform enables communication from customers to staff with automated dispatching, and reduces risk with perfect recall by logging audio, chat, images and video with incident data. It provides one app for all departments in a sports and entertainment venue.The ALO platform features push-to-talk, group chat, photo sharing, and live video; processing and artificial intelligence applied to all communications for analytics on your workflows. It allows venues to gain insights from customer requests, communication history, and task metadata. ALO uses natural language translate customer requests in more than 90 languages, enabling staff to better serve their guests and enhance the overall fan experience.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
December 27, 2024Episode 1019 min
FANCENTRIC TECH - LANDSKY.AI and The Future of Autonomous Security
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDRecorded: 12/5/2024LANDSKY.AI - The Future of Autonomous SecurityJoin Dr. Lou and his guest, Jake Shild, Founder & CEO @LandSky.AI as they discuss pioneering a modern and dynamic approach to safety and surveillance, addressing the growing demand for advanced security solutions while overcoming the challenges of labor shortages and the high cost of continuous human surveillance. This technology can provide an additional layer of security for critical infrastructure, including stadiums and arenas and more. The LandSky as a Service (LSaaS) is a new model for automation, designed to enhance human ability. LSaaS is a recurring subscription service that provides on-going, 24/7 autonomous solutions enabling users to adopt robotics into their operations without having to spend extensive effort in implementing autonomous solutions.You can learn more about LandSky's security solutions:Crowd IntelligenceAutonomous Perimeter Patrols with Sky GuardOutdoor Perimeter Security and Alarm Response with Land GuardAbout the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
December 27, 2024Episode 925 min
IIFX FANCENTRIC TECH - OnePlan Digital Twin - Single Source of Truth for Event Planning
Join Dr. Lou Marciani, the Director and Co-Founder of the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience and Paul Foster, founder and CEO of OnePlan. Dr. Lou and Paul discuss the evolution of event planning and the benefits of using digital twin technology for the sports and entertainment industry. OnePlan, which aims to provide a collaborative, web-based platform for event planning, has been used in over 60,000 events, including major sports and entertainment venues. The platform offers a single source of truth, allowing for real-time collaboration and approval processes. Forster highlighted the importance of balancing fan experience, security, and safety, citing examples like the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Intuit Dome. Dr. Lou and Paul also discuss the role of data in decision-making and the potential of digital twins in enhancing fan engagement and venue operations.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
October 14, 2024Episode 455 min
Session 4 - The New Landscape
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDSession 4The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) and Campus Safety hosted a National One Day Virtual Summit: Preparing for the Return of Interscholastic Athletics and After School Activities. The virtual summit featured an impressive array of diverse professionals in high school activities and interscholastic athletics and other agencies focusing on the preparation for the return of interscholastic athletics and after school activities. They focused on the common challenges of adapting and innovating health safety, security, operations, and management into a possible new management paradigm. The Summit agenda brought together thought leaders, decision-makers, and innovators to address critical issues for reopening their school activities and interscholastic athletic events in the fall of 2021. Leading practitioners presented the most pressing challenges and provided first -hand observations and best practices.Panelists:Dr. Karissa Niehoff, Executive Director National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHSA)Dr. Lou Marciani, Director and Co-Founder, Innovation Institute for Fan ExperienceAbout the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
October 8, 2024Episode 821 min
IIFX FANCENTRIC TECH - CLEARFORCE and People Risk Management
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDRecorded: 9/25/2024People Risk ManagementDETECT. DETER. MITIGATE.Join Dr. Lou and his guest, Tom Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of CLEARFORCE for their second discussion about detecting, deterring, and mitigating risk posed by people. Consider the policies that your organization uses to ensure the integrity of your human capital, especially when it comes to checking the background of each employee. Even the best employees in any organization, including sports and entertainment venues, their sponsors, and vendors can pose a risk to your operations, employees, and brand.Established in 2015, ClearForce is a people risk analytics company that combines software, data services, compliance, and workflow automation to build safe and secure organizations. Their patented Resolve™ platform and continuous evaluation solutions help public and private sector organizations mitigate people risk associated with mission critical initiatives for insider threat, workplace safety, cyber security, SAFETY Act, trusted workforce, and suicide prevention.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
August 12, 2024Episode 721 min
FANCENTRIC TECH - CLEARFORCE - DETECT. DETER. MITIGATE. HUMAN RISK
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDRecorded: 8/6/2024Protecting Sports & Entertainment Organizations from People RiskDETECT. DETER. MITIGATE.Join Dr. Lou and his guest, Tom Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of CLEARFORCE as the begin a series of discussions about detecting, deterring, and mitigating risk posed by people. Even the best employees in any organization, including sports and entertainment venues, their sponsors, and vendors can pose a risk to your operations, employees, and brand.Established in 2015, ClearForce is a people risk analytics company that combines software, data services, compliance, and workflow automation to build safe and secure organizations. Their patented Resolve™ platform and continuous evaluation solutions help public and private sector organizations mitigate people risk associated with mission critical initiatives for insider threat, workplace safety, cyber security, SAFETY Act, trusted workforce, and suicide prevention.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
June 12, 2024Episode 623 min
IIFX FANCENTRIC TECH WITH WICKET
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDIIFX FANCENTRIC TECH WITH WICKETRecorded: 6/05/2024YOUR FACE IS YOUR TICKET!Fans, Sports & Entertainment leaders, and anyone with an interest in technology that enhances the Fan Journey will enjoy this discussion between Dr. Lou Marciani, the Director & Co-Founder of the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience, and Jeff Boehm, Chief Operating Officer @Wicket. The Wicket facial authentication platform is a privacy-first solution that enables sensational event experiences for fans, guests, and employees with frictionless touchpoints that delight users and strengthen security for sports and credentialed venues.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
April 25, 202444 min
FANCENTRIC - Why Sports & Entertainment Venues Need to Prepare for Protests and Security Threats
Copyright 2024 by IIFXAll Rights ReservedRecorded 4/24/2024Dr. Lou Marciani, Director & Co-Founder of IIFX, and Jim Mercurio, former Executive VP & General Manager @ Levi's Stadium and President of JCM Events Management & Consulting, LLC, host our free FANCENTRIC livestream and podcast.Watch and learn how sports and entertainment leaders prepare their venues and staff to protect their fans and staff by preparing for protests and security threats long before any event. Sports and entertainment events are about the spectacle, something that protestors and malevolent actors seek to use to their advantage.Join Dr. Lou and Jim as they query their guest panel about their experiences in preparing for protests and security threats, including developing action plans and training their staff to respond to almost any protest or threat condition.MODERATOR: MIKE HARTNETT, VICE PRESIDENT OF VENUE SECURITY FOR ILITCH SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENTMIKE HARTNETT currently serves as Vice President of Venue Security for Ilitch Sports and Entertainment. In this position, he is responsible for leading the daily security operations and event-based security for Little Caesars Arena and its office buildings, Comerica Park, Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom Hill, Pine Knob Music Theater, Meadow Brook Amphitheater, the Fox Theater and Fox Office Centre, Little Caesars Global Resource Center and throughout the District of Detroit. Mr. Hartnett is focused on creating a safe and secure environment for guests, colleagues, clients, athletes, and performers across all venues in the Ilitch Sports and Entertainment family.PANELISTSLAURIE GOODELL serves with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Office of Security Programs, focusing specifically in the Active Assailant Security branch on preparedness resources, training, and assessment for stakeholders within the critical infrastructure of the United States. She has been integral to the development and release of the Vehicle Ramming Self-Assessment Tool and CISA’s Vehicle Incident Prevention and Mitigation Security Guide, scheduled for imminent release.POLICE LIEUTENANT KENDALL BELL oversees arguably the busiest, most successful, and professional events planning section in the world. Each year this section plans over 8500 events. The events range from our New Year’s Eve celebration, the NFL Draft, and Pro Bowl, the NHL All Star Weekend, the Electric Daisy Carnival, Life is Beautiful, Allegiant Stadium (Raiders, Concerts, and other events), T Mobile Arena (Vegas Golden Knights, Concerts, Sporting Events), Conventions (CES, SEMA, JCK Jewelry Show), Music Award Shows (Billboard Music Awards, the Grammy’s, the Latin Music Awards), Parades, Presidential visits, and many more. SENIOR COMMANDER BRAD HAZELETT has been with the Saint Paul (Minnesota) Police Department for 27 years. He played key roles in planning, operations and leadership during the 2008 Republican National Convention, 2018 Superbowl, and the riots related to George Floyd and Daunte Wright. In 2023, he was promoted to Senior Commander and took charge of the SPPD Special Operations Unit. SOU provides public safety planning and staffing for all large public events, parades, festivals, protests, and demonstrations. In 2024 he rejoined the SPPD SWAT team as a team Commander. About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
March 21, 2024Episode 245 min
FANCENTRIC - Why Sports & Entertainment Venues Need to Prepare for the Weather
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDRecorded 20 March 2024 by IIFXJoin Dr. Lou Marciani, Director & Co-Founder of IIFX, and Jim Mercurio, former Executive VP & General Manager @ Levi's Stadium and President of JCM Events Management & Consulting, LLC, for our free FANCENTRIC podcast.Russ Simons, Chief Listening Officer and Managing Partner @Venue Solutions Group and Tom Bedard, Senior Manager of Emergency Operations join the discussion.Fans, Sports & Entertainment leaders, and anyone with an interest in the legal liability posed by weather incidents that threaten business and event operations should enjoy this discussion.Learn how sports and entertainment leaders prepare their venues and staff to protect their fans and staff during adverse weather conditions.Join Dr. Lou and Jim as they query their guest panel about their experiences in preparing for adverse weather, including developing action plans and training their staff to respond to almost any weather condition.The National Weather Service reports that more than 30 people a year die from lightning strikes in the United States, most during some outdoor sports or entertainment activity. There are 20-25 million lightning flashes in storms across the United States each year. Are you and your venue staff prepared? Learn from the weather experience of our guests.Over the past three and a half decades, Russ Simons has been involved in nearly every facet of the sports and entertainment facility industry, from design and construction to operations, marketing and PR, safety and security. At Venue Solutions Group (VSG), Russ directs the firm’s organizational analysis, operational consulting, guest experience benchmarking, and safety, security, and risk management efforts. VSG is a team of former senior facility managers who evaluate building systems, operations, management, facility condition, guest experience, safety and security, and sustainable operations. Russ has worked with team and facility operators at every level from collegiate to all U.S. based major professional leagues. Russ’s work goes hand-in-hand with architects and engineers to design facilities that are safe, operationally efficient, revenue positive and sustainable. He has worked with a wide variety of clients, including the Orlando Magic, San Diego Padres, Indiana State Fair, Pittsburgh Steelers, Reliant Park, Texas A&M University, The Fabulous Fox Theater in Atlanta, and the historic Keeneland Equestrian Facility. Prior to creating VSG, Russ was a senior principal with global design firm Populous. There, he managed the firms’ facility operations, evaluation, and analysis group which assisted public assembly venues in all operational aspects.Tom Bedard is a meteorologist and emergency manager with over a decade of experience in severe weather. Specializing in weather safety planning, Tom has developed weather training courses currently in-use by FEMA’s National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, he has implemented weather safety services at hundreds of venues across North America, and he has helped develop best practices for how private weather services support event operations. He currently resides in Bentonville, AR where he works as a meteorologist and emergency operations center senior manager.About the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
February 7, 2024Episode 148 min
Why Sports and Entertainment Venues Need the SAFETY Act
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY IIFXALL RIGHTS RESERVEDRecorded 2/6/2024Dr. Lou Marciani, Director & Co-Founder of IIFX, and Jim Mercurio, former Executive VP & General Manager @ Levi's Stadium, for our free FANCENTRIC podcast. Fans, Sports & Entertainment leaders, and anyone with an interest in the legal liability protections afforded by the SAFETY Act for sellers of qualified anti-terrorism technologies (QATTs) should join the IIFX Live Stream event on 6 February 2024 at 11 AM Central time. Learn how these technologies could save lives in the event of a terrorist attack.Join Dr. Lou and Jim as they query their guest panel about their experiences in earning SAFETY Act Designation and Certification for their technologies and venues. Learn from their experiences and from the legal expertise of our guests. The SAFETY Act Designation and Certification programs emerged in the 2002 Homeland Security Act. According to the Department of Homeland Security, SAFETY Act liability protections apply to "a wide range of technologies, including: products, services, software and other forms of intellectual property that are designed or modified to identify, detect, deter, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the impact or harm arising from an Act of Terrorism. Protections apply only to claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from an Act of Terrorism."This live stream event starts at 11 AM Central on Tuesday, 6 February 2024. Our panelists include: RICHARD FENTONVice President/CSOCorporate Security & Safety Ilitch Holdings, Inc.JOHN PETRONE II, Esq.Senior Managing DirectorPetrone Riskwww.petronerisk.comKATHLEEN GRIGGSFounder & Chief Executive OfficerDatabuoy Corporationwww.databuoy.comAbout the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience Founded in August 2020, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (www.iifx.org) is building the leading and most trusted authority on the ‘Fan Journey’ for the sports and entertainment industry. IIFX provides training, industry content creation, Fan Journey best practices, consultancy, and business and education services to domestic and international sports & entertainment organizations.
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