As Major League Baseball's (MLB) Opening Day approaches, ten MLB teams are preparing to welcome millions of fans by implementing advanced security screening technology from Evolv. This company specializes in AI-driven security solutions that enhance safety at large-scale events.
Evolv's Express® system is renowned for its ability to distinguish between weapons and routine metal items through the integration of sensor technology and artificial intelligence. Since its introduction in 2019, Evolv Express has successfully screened over 1 billion people at venues worldwide.
Real-World Validation
Many organizations considering new technology solutions rely heavily on real-world data and feedback from existing users. For instance, the Minnesota Twins, represented by Vice President of Ballpark Operations Dave Horsman, partnered with Evolv over a year ago.
Horsman emphasized the importance of confirming the system's effectiveness through direct observation
Horsman emphasized the importance of confirming the system's effectiveness through direct observation and comprehensive testing, stating, "We do a lot of innovation, but for something directly impacting guest experience and safety like security screening, we wanted to thoroughly test it and achieve a high level of certainty of success."
Enhancing Guest Experience
To ensure the technology met their safety needs, Horsman's team visited a venue with existing Evolv systems. He remarked, "I was able to see firsthand how well the system works and was very impressed. We were able to see how it performs in other MLB parks—which provided some really good validation for us." Additional off-season testing corroborated the system's reliability, leading the Twins to incorporate it into their security plans.
A Successful Integration
Reflecting on the transformative impact of the Evolv Express system, Horsman recounts a standout moment during the Twins' Opening Day. "We were in the security ingress area when the National Anthem played," he recalls. "Normally, with the metal detectors, we would still have lines of fans trying to get into the park. But when I looked up after the National Anthem was finished, there were no lines. I knew then that we had made the right decision."
As of now, Evolv serves over 700 customers across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and professional sports. Their clientele includes notable venues like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Fenway Park, and YouTube Theater. In 2023 alone, Evolv successfully detected more than 400,000 weapons, ranging from firearms to knives, underscoring its crucial role in maintaining security in public spaces.
With Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Opening Day around the corner, 10 MLB teams are gearing up to welcome millions of fans with the help of security screening by Evolv, the security technology company pioneering AI-based screening to create safer experiences.
Evolv’s Express® is an award-winning weapons detection system that uses sensor technology combined with artificial intelligence to help differentiate between weapons and non-threatening metal objects people commonly carry. Since the launch of Evolv Express in 2019, Evolv has screened more than 1 billion people in hundreds of venues around the world.
Real-world performance metrics
When considering new technology, many Evolv customers rely on real-world performance metrics, testimonials and information obtained from other users in their respective industries, and often their own testing of Evolv Express, to guide their purchase decisions.
“We do a lot of innovation,” said Dave Horsman, vice president of Ballpark Operations for the Minnesota Twins, who partnered with Evolv over a year ago for security screening. “But for something directly impacting guest experience and safety like security screening, we wanted to thoroughly test it and achieve a high level of certainty of success.”
Impacting guest experience
Accordingly, Horsman and team spent a week at another venue that had Express systems in place while learning about Evolv. “I was able to see firsthand how well the system works and was very impressed. We were able to see how it performs in other MLB parks—which provided some really good validation for us.”
In addition, the team did their own testing of the Evolv Express system to further validate it was the right addition to their safety plan. “We did our homework and did extensive testing over the offseason—testing to see if it would detect objects it should detect and not detect the ones we didn’t want to detect. We were really impressed with the results and decided to move forward.”
Security ingress area
A year later since implementing Evolv Express, Horsman still recounts the Twin’s Opening Day as the moment that stands out the most in his mind. “We were in the security ingress area when the National Anthem played,” he recalls. “Normally, with the metal detectors, we would still have lines of fans trying to get into the park. But when I looked up after the National Anthem was finished, there were no lines. I knew then that we had made the right decision.”
Evolv’s business-to-business buyers, many of whom are themselves security experts and/or engage third-party experts, represent over 700 customers across education, healthcare, professional sports, industrial workplaces, houses of worship and tourist attractions.
This includes some of the country’s top brands and school districts, such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium, SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater, Six Flags, TD Garden, Fenway Park and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools. In 2023, Evolv detected over 400,000 weapons, including firearms and knives.
