The National Football League (NFL) has announced the implementation of mandatory facial recognition software across all 32 teams. This decision comes after a trial run last year at select venues, including Cleveland Browns Stadium, and will officially kick off with this summer’s preseason games.
The new system will kick off with the Patriots and Giants home games on August 8.
According to Jeff Boehm, chief operating officer of Wicket, the company behind the facial recognition technology, this system is designed to ensure that only properly credentialed media, officials, staff, and guests can access restricted areas such as the playing field, press box, and locker rooms.
“Big news for Wicket as the NFL expands the use of our technology league-wide this season!” Boehm announced on LinkedIn. “Credential holders simply take a selfie before they come, and then Wicket verifies their identity as they walk through security checkpoints.”
Billy Langenstein, senior director of security services for the NFL, emphasized the need for “accountability and standardizing credentialing policies and technologies” in his statement to the Sports Business Journal.
While the NFL touts this initiative as a necessary step towards enhanced security, many are questioning whether it represents an alarming shift towards surveillance culture in America.
The Record reported:
Wicket technology was deployed in a handful of NFL stadiums last year as part of a pilot program. Other stadiums will start rolling it out beginning on Aug. 8, when the pre-season kicks off.
Some teams also have extended their use of the technology to scan the faces of ticket holders. The Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and New York Mets all have used the company’s facial authentication software to authenticate fans with tickets, according to Stadium Tech Report.
“Fans come look at the tablet and, instantly, the tablet recognizes the fan,” Brandon Covert, the vice president of information technology for the Cleveland Browns, said in a testimonial appearing on Wicket’s website. “It’s almost a half-second stop. It’s not even a stop — more of a pause.”
“It has greatly reduced the amount of time and friction that comes with entering the stadium,” Covert added. “It’s so much faster.”
The Browns also use Wicket to verify the ages of fans purchasing alcohol at concession stands, according to Wicket’s LinkedIn page.
A recent clip posted on the Dallas Cowboys website showcased how easily individuals could be identified within packed stadiums; however, it remains unclear if Wicket’s system will use similar technology.
This year all 32 NFL teams will start using facial recognition to verify the identity of people entering the stadium.
This is a clip that was posted recently on the Dallas Cowboys website. It shows how easy it is to identify someone in these large crowds. pic.twitter.com/FRn8lihAEy
— Vision4theBlind (@Vision4theBlind) August 2, 2024
