Access control systems in Sports & leisure infrastructure

Sports and leisure infrastructure is well-known for  attracting huge numbers of visitors.
Access control plays a vital role in ensuring satisfaction among visitors, all of whom are hoping for a unique experience. However it must contend with the challenges of running the venue, keeping people safe and protecting property. The solution must also be able to deal with the new types of threat encountered in crowded areas.
Locken draws on its expertise in the sports and leisure industry to tailor its solutions to the specific needs of each infrastructure.

Sports and leisure infrastructure is often towering with large stadiums, theme parks and motor racing tracks covering dozens of acres. These sites comprise a vast number of indoor and outdoor access points, including gates, doors and lockers.
With the Locken solution, officers can swap their large key chains for a single electronic key.  The only difference between the various keys is the access rights they hold. Only a key that has been configured with the necessary authorisation for a given area or time period will be able to open the cylinder.
A major advantage with the Locken access control system is its easy-to-install design. The cylinder is passive as the key supplies the power and sends the rights to the lock. This means there is no need to wire the existing doors: the old cylinder is simply replaced with an electronic version. The Locken product range features several hundreds of cylinders for every type of access, from door cylinders to gate padlocks.
The Locken range also includes RFID readers for opening any device fitted with an RFID chip (badge, key, smartphone, etc.). This complementary solution is controlled by the same LSA software and reduces access control costs for public offices with high visitor numbers. In venues with fewer access control needed, the Locken solution gives users the option to keep existing mechanical locks as the latest-generation key features a traditional mechanical profile in addition to its electronic components.
Finally, the Locken solution has been specifically engineered to withstand the harshest weather, making it suitable for outdoor access points. Cylinders have the IP 66-67-68-69 rating and offer high levels of protection against water ingress (even pressurised water) and foreign bodies.

Theme parks, stadiums and motor racing tracks are likely to attract tens of thousands of visitors every day. Numerous staff members (administrators, maintenance technicians, competitors, tech ops teams, performers, catering firms, etc.) work behind the scenes to maximise visitor and spectator satisfaction by offering a range of high-quality services.

Sports and leisure venues are different for each of these people. Some require daily access over long periods of time, some need just a few days to build a new ride or coach the athletes and some may require one-off access for a single operation.

Smart access control systems are valuable for their ability to adapt to different user profiles. The Locken solution only grants access to recognised and approved users in the system for a specific location and time period. Access rights are easy to configure with the Locken Smart Access (LSA) software for both groups keys (e.g. all team members) and individual keys.

All workers are confident of being able to access the right place at the right time and any lost or stolen keys can be disabled.

High visitor numbers are a source of risk, be it the threat of a terrorist attack or fire. Given the high numbers of paying visitors, strict access control systems are particularly important for both sports venues and theme parks.
Yet security measures must be further ramped up in specific areas, such as ride or Ferris wheel engine rooms, racing car parking garages and pre-competition areas for athletes.
With Locken’s access control solution, all entries are tracked and controlled with the Locken Smart Access (LSA) software and all access events logged centrally. Stolen keys do not represent a security threat as disabled keys cannot be used.
What’s more, the solution’s leading-edge software features meet the strictest requirements of security managers. The Bluetooth module in the electronic key communicates with the MyLocken app on the officer’s smartphone and therefore the central security system. The result is real-time access control and very short-term access rights, preventing any intrusions or attempted break-ins.
In terms of mechanical resistance, all Locken cylinders have CEN 1303 certification, which guarantees their resistance to drilling and vandalism.