Securing the Super Bowl

One of the biggest sporting events in the US calendar required a comprehensive security strategy

The post-9/11 world requires venues that are easy to secure for major events

The National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl XLII, held in February 2008 at Glendale's University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, was an unprecedented exercise in security – albeit one where technology was the chief deterrent. The game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants was designated a “Level One” national security event by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the highest state of alert for any event, reflecting the new realities of the post 9/11 world.

"The last thing we wanted is shock troops standing on the corner," said Adam Angst, an FBI agent who was responsible for coordinating safety at the event that was attended by 65,000 spectators and 600,000 others. An added challenge was the fact that Glendale has only recently begun hosting large events. The Super Bowl was televised in 223 countries, so US authorities were well aware of the temptation for terrorists to launch an attack on live television, echoing the events of September 11, 2001.

Covering all bases
Prior to the event the DHS produced a threat assessment that identified four potential incidents. The “scenarios of concern” identified in the assessment included “security breaches and insider threats.” The concerns addressed covered all angles, from the use of stolen ID to mounting an attack by vehicle, improvised explosives, suicide bombers and even hijacked aircraft.

As a result, the DHS gave the green light to the use of federal resources including the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Department of Defense to secure the Super Bowl – in addition to state and local law enforcement authorities.

The USD 455m Arizona Cardinal’s stadium features a retractable roof and roll-in natural grass field. Before the event 66 specialised dog teams were brought together to work with more than 24 federal, state and local agencies in providing security for the Super Bowl in addition to the NFL's security personnel. The FBI performed background checks on stadium workers and other support personnel.

A communications headquarters, built by Arizona State officials, also helped the cohesive approach to security. The headquarters, known as the United Joint Operations Centre, was located in a 10,000-square-foot exhibition hall at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix and staffed by 300 agents. The centre gave decision makers a strategic overview of what was going on throughout the Super Bowl, not only in the stadium but also across Phoenix.

The unified command exercised for the Super Bowl mirrored the coordinated emergency response used during the 2007 Californian wildfires, which involved the evacuation of more than one million people.

Balancing security and enjoyment
The Arizona State security team also established committees to monitor a variety of issues from aviation to public information and hazardous materials. Prior to the Super Bowl, Arizona Department of Public Safety Commander Michael Orose said the University of Phoenix Stadium was "the most secure facility in the United States." One of the biggest challenges for the authorities was to ensure that the event was as enjoyable as it was safe. Cameras located throughout the stadium and security personnel in civilian clothing assisted in achieving this. "We have got to find the right balance between protecting the people attending the game and making it an enjoyable experience,” said Orose.

On the day of the event fans could only access the stadium through a secure 300-foot perimeter. The perimeter, complete with CCTV cameras and metal detectors, was patrolled continuously by police officers. The ATF used sniffer dogs to search for liquid explosives. In addition workers erected 8ft fences and concrete barricades around the stadium two weeks before.

On the ground, safety work groups were tasked with protecting dignitaries, arranging police escorts and vetting and issuing passes to the 35,000 retailers present. Additional specialist groups were involved in marshalling traffic and coordinating helicopter surveillance.

The authorities set strict rules about what could and could not be brought into the stadium. Banned objects included cameras with lenses longer than six inches, fireworks, umbrellas, beach balls, laser lights, and pointers, backpacks, bottles, cans and horns. Electronic devices from mobile telephones and pagers to radios and personal digital assistants were all subject to rigorous inspection.

Only screened ticket-holders were allowed within the security perimeter around the stadium and once fans had left, they were not allowed to re-enter. Spectators accessed the screening points on the security perimeter and then proceeded to the gate allocated on their tickets. On the roof of the stadium, heavily-armed SWAT teams were in position before and throughout the game, ready to be deployed in the event of an incident.

The number of security personnel at the Cardinal’s Stadium was double that of an ordinary NFL game. On the day of the Super Bowl, over 2,000 security officials were present and located throughout the stadium, some amongst spectators in the stands. The DHS brought in face-recognition cameras that were used to scan the faces of fans and match the images against a database of terrorists and criminals. Police officers employed computer software allowing them to run background checks on spectators from federal, state and local databases.

Multiple lines of defence
One of the consequences of the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington was the enforcement of a no-fly zone that covered a 30-mile radius from the stadium and reached 22,000 feet above ground on game day. The zone was in force from 3:00pm until 10:30pm on 3 Feb and was patrolled by F16 fighters and an airborne warning and control system (AWACS) of surveillance aircraft. This did not, however, affect commercial flights.

On the ground, the wider area around the stadium stretching out to several blocks was patrolled by local police officers. The police were concerned that terrorists might strike at “soft targets” such as hotels, bars and car parks. Most hotels in the Phoenix city area were full during the Super Bowl and would have been attractive targets. Hotels in particular have proven susceptible to terrorist attacks – the attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad in September 2008 is one example. The Phoenix Police Department aimed to deter such attacks by maintaining high profile patrols throughout the city during the event.

One of the greatest possible threats to security was the danger of a highjacked aircraft being flown directly into the 65,000-seater stadium. In order to protect against this, mobile surface-to-air missiles – which could be used to shoot down hijacked aircraft in the event of an emergency – were deployed ready for use. Such missiles would be capable of destroying aircraft as small as a Cessna light plane or as large as a commercial jet.

The authorities even deployed robots in a two-square mile zone around the stadium. Northrop Grumman HD-1 robots were on hand to deal with any potential radioactive materials or bombs. Other new technologies employed by the police included Segway Personal Transporters, which used “SmartMotion” balancing and control technology. These devices were used to patrol the walkways, car parks and exhibition areas surrounding the University of Phoenix Stadium during the event, as well at other NFL events in Phoenix in the days leading up to and during the game.

All the hotels and training facilities used by the football teams were subject to intensive security. The NFL requested that local law enforcement agencies provided armed police escorts for all the players, team personnel and VIPs in addition to assisting in traffic management.