Evolv and Convergint Partner with sports club on first Australian deployment providing a superior security screening experience at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Security technology company Evolv Technology has announced its partnership with Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), the largest – and one of the oldest – sports clubs in Australia. Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) recently hosted the Taylor Swift Era’s Tour partnering with Evolv to help keep nearly 300,000 fans safe.
“We were looking for a more efficient entry experience for guests coming to the Melbourne Cricket Ground”
The partnership marks the first deployment of the Evolv Express detection screening system in the country. It is also the largest single-stadium deployment of Express outside of the United States. The stadium will use Express systems to screen fans at all of its entry gates.
Melbourne Cricket Club was introduced to Evolv by Convergint, which supplies Melbourne Cricket Ground with its other security technology. Evolv Express uses sensors combined with AI to differentiate between weapons and common metals people carry. At Melbourne Cricket Ground, Express will be integrated with Convergint’s video management system.
“We were looking for a more efficient entry experience for guests coming to the Melbourne Cricket Ground,” said Rey Sumaru, general manager of IT & innovation for the Melbourne Cricket Club. “The technology from Evolv has provided us with a more streamlined entry experience – helping minimise time spent in queues lines for fans, while still providing the safest environment possible.”
“There’s usually a large number of fans approaching the gates at the same time, about 15-to-30 minutes before an event,” said Nick Robertson, general manager, Convergint Australia. “There’s really only one solution that can handle that amount of people in such a short time, and that’s Express.”
Club leadership was made aware of Express through Convergint prior to seeing Express in action at SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, last year. Following the visit, Evolv and Convergint worked quickly to have Express in use at Melbourne Cricket Ground by the end of 2023.
“Evolv is creating a safer world for people to work, learn, and play, and the work we have done alongside Convergint to bring Evolv to a new country – a new continent! – helps us reach even more people worldwide,” said Peter George, CEO of Evolv Technology.
Since the launch of Express, Evolv has screened more than one billion people. Melbourne Cricket Club joins a growing list of teams and sports facilities around the world using Evolv for weapons detection as part of their safety posture, from AO Arena in Manchester, England, to stadiums and arenas across the United States in Major League Baseball, the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLS.
Evolv’s technology has also been deployed in theme parks, performing arts centres, casinos and arenas in addition to hundreds of schools, hospitals and places of worship.
Evolv has been awarded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) SAFETY Act Designation as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology (QATT) as well as the Security Industry Association (SIA) New Products and Solutions (NPS) Award in the Law Enforcement/Public Safety/Guarding Systems category.
