Optimizing Sport Event Management with Analytics
Though such frigid conditions can make for memorable experiences on the gridiron, they are indispensable in one of the most popular winter sports: downhill skiing.
A weather-resistant outdoor analytics solution
When the weather turns cold, millions of fans of Alpine Skiing turn to their televisions or smartphones to watch athletes of incredible skill and courage blaze down giants and super giants at ski stations around the world. A smaller but no less impressive number of fans find their way to the events in countries such as Italy, Germany, Austria, Norway, France and, of course, Switzerland.
Waving flags in the areas surrounding the end of the slope, these fans are numerous and boisterous, both during the races and associated events. Sport event management companies working with outdoor winter events, such as Alpine Racing, know that fact-based planning is the key to success.
That is especially true when the ski stations hosting such events are compact picturesque mountain villages, which can easily be overwhelmed by visitors absent a robust people flow management solution.
Optimization in the Swiss Alps
Aware of the people flow challenges such events entail, organizers of the legendary Lauberhorn Races sought an analytics solution that could manage the mobility of tens of thousands of fans who visit Wengen, Switzerland for the race each year. The 2024 edition of the race included two downhill races, the slalom, and a super-G.
Knowing that the event could break attendance records, Switzerland-based event management company Eventon was tapped to help manage people flow around the races and at award ceremonies, which took place in the old village center, a narrow and confusing space with capacity constraints.
Occupancy and security at sporting events
Overcrowding at sporting events—especially fan favorites like Lauberhorn—is a major safety and liability concern for organizers. As fan bases expand, sometimes beyond the physical constraints of hosting sites, organizers can attempt to limit the number of attendees or use analytics solutions with real-time measuring capabilities.
To determine safe capacity levels at Lauberhorn, Eventon installed Xovis sensors at two entry points. The raw, real-time data was sent to the Eventon's SECURITY&SAFETY module, an analytics dashboard that measured occupancy values over time, the current fill level of designated zones, and forecasts.
The company configured alarms that would activate in the case measured values exceeded a certain threshold, and which could be sent in real-time via SMS and/or e-mail. In this way, security regulated access and ensured all persons followed the event safely.
Xovis on the slopes
“Bolstering security and improving passenger flow at outdoor events is becoming more important for visitors, vendors, and insurers. We use Xovis sensors to support our event management analytics solution because we can count on accurate, real-time data, which is essential for many occupancy level use cases,” Samuel Waeny of Eventon said of the decision to use Xovis sensors at Lauberhorn.
Xovis works with event organizers in all seasons and across multiple sports around the globe. In February, you might spot our sensors at an Alpine Skiing event or in the Super Bowl village.
As a proud Swiss company, we have a special affinity for the mountains and love to see how Eventon and other companies are using analytics solutions using Xovis sensors to increase accessibility and safety.
Tags: | transportation | interoperability | real-time data | passengers | APC | 3D sensors |