Securing the World Series a Team Effort
SecurityInfoWatch.com (10/30/13) Griffin, Joel
Securing the World Series, which enters Game 6 at Fenway Park in Boston tonight, requires the cooperation of representatives from both the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals as well as a number of Major League Baseball (MLB) security specialists. MLB officials say that one member of the league's stadium security team will attend the remaining games in the series: Mario Coutinho, the vice president of stadium operations and security for the Toronto Blue Jays' Rogers Centre. Coutinho reports that the MLB recruits stadium personnel from throughout the league to secure the Series. Threats include a possible terrorist attack on the Series as well as more common fights between fans who may have had too much to drink. Security managers must address both, Coutinho says. In the case of Fenway Park, security managers hope to prevent potential riots by asking nearby restaurants and bars to close after the fifth inning and not to host any events outside their buildings. The Boston Marathon bombings in April have also prompted professional sports leagues to change the way stadiums handle the screening of bags brought in by fans. Coutinho says many stadiums, including Rogers, restrict bags and make X-ray machines available for additional screening, adding that he believes stadiums will become more and more reliant on security technology.
