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FANCENTRIC - The Fan Journey is the Experience!
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.
FANCENTRIC - The Fan Journey is the Experience!
FANCENTRIC - Why Sports & Entertainment Venues Need to Prepare for Protests and Security Threats
Copyright 2024 by IIFX
All Rights Reserved
Recorded 4/24/2024
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, 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 & ENTERTAINMENT
MIKE 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.
PANELISTS
LAURIE 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.