Stadium Security: How Better Communications Help Stewards Respond Faster

Effective stadium security depends on more than spotting a problem.

When something happens inside a stadium, what matters next is how quickly the right information reaches the right people.

A steward sees congestion building at an entrance. Security needs support in a stand. A spectator requires urgent medical assistance. An unattended item is reported. Crowd behaviour begins to change.

In each case, the response depends on clear, reliable communication.

That is why communication should sit at the heart of stadium security and event operations.

Two-way radios give stewards, security teams, supervisors and control a direct way to communicate in real time, while body cameras can provide additional visibility and a record of frontline incidents and interactions.

But effective stadium communications involve much more than simply issuing radios.

Coverage, channel planning, escalation procedures, staff training, agreed terminology and supporting infrastructure all influence how well a communication system performs when it matters most.

Why communication matters for stadium security

Stadiums bring large numbers of spectators, staff, contractors and operational teams into one environment.

On any given matchday, teams may be positioned across:

• turnstiles and entrances;
• concourses;
• different stands and seating areas;
• hospitality suites;
• external perimeter positions;
• car parks;
• medical areas;
• loading and service areas;
• control rooms.

Security teams, stewards, supervisors, medical personnel and operations staff may all be working in different locations at the same time.

When something happens, those teams need a reliable way to coordinate.

A steward may need to report:

• congestion at an entrance or exit;
• disorder or threatening behaviour;
• a spectator requiring medical assistance;
• an access issue;
• an unattended item;
• an issue within a restricted area;
• a developing crowd-management concern.

Identifying the problem is important.

Getting accurate information to the team that can respond is what turns awareness into action.

This is particularly important within football stadium security, where crowd movements and operational pressures can change quickly before kick-off, throughout the match and as spectators leave.

Good stadium communication is about more than handing out radios

Two-way radios provide an immediate push-to-talk communication route, but equipment is only one part of the system.

Before determining which radios or how many handsets a stadium requires, operators should consider:

• Who needs to communicate with whom?
• Which teams require their own channels or talk groups?
• How should urgent situations be escalated?
• Who needs a direct route to control?
• Can teams communicate reliably from everywhere they operate?
• Does everyone use the same terminology for stands, gates, blocks and zones?
• How will important messages be prioritised when radio traffic increases?

These details become increasingly important when several teams are using radios simultaneously.

If everybody shares one busy channel, an important message can become difficult to hear.

If staff describe locations differently, control may need to ask further questions before deploying the appropriate response.

The objective is therefore not simply to provide staff with a radio.

It is to create a communication structure that allows information to move around the stadium quickly, clearly and efficiently.

Coverage needs to match the stadium

Stadiums can be challenging environments for radio communication.

Concrete structures, multiple levels, internal corridors, concourses, hospitality areas, stairwells, turnstiles and external spaces can all affect radio coverage.

Radio planning should therefore be based around the areas in which teams actually need to communicate.

Coverage testing may need to include:

• entrances and turnstiles;
• concourses;
• seating areas and stands;
• hospitality areas;
• internal corridors and rooms;
• control rooms;
• medical rooms;
• car parks;
• loading areas;
• external perimeter positions.

For some venues, a relatively straightforward radio system may provide the coverage required.

Larger or more complex stadiums may require supporting infrastructure such as repeaters, aerial systems or fixed/base radios.

The venue should determine the radio system, not the other way around.

Testing coverage before staff are relying on the system during a live event can also help identify potential weak areas and provide an opportunity to address them.

Digitall Comms can plan stadium communication solutions around the venue layout, operational teams and areas in which staff need to remain connected.

Unsure whether your current radio system gives you reliable coverage throughout your stadium?

Speak to Digitall Comms about a stadium communications review. We can help assess your existing setup, coverage requirements and how different operational teams need to communicate.

Small communication delays can affect the response

Imagine a steward needs assistance during a match.

Ideally, their first radio transmission should quickly establish three things:

What is happening?

Where is it happening?

What support is required?

When agreed terminology and communication procedures are in place, control can understand the situation quickly and coordinate the appropriate response.

If the location is unclear, staff use terminology that control does not recognise or the message is transmitted over an overcrowded channel, additional questions may be required.

That creates avoidable delay.

A well-planned communications structure might therefore include:

• agreed call signs;
• standard names for stands, gates, blocks and zones;
• allocated channels or talk groups;
• clear escalation procedures;
• agreed routes to control;
• procedures for prioritising urgent communication;
• staff familiarisation and training.

Good radio discipline is therefore just as important as the equipment being used.

Martyn’s Law and stadium communications

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly known as Martyn’s Law, introduces statutory requirements intended to improve preparedness at qualifying premises and events.

For stadium operators, this is particularly relevant because communication forms part of the wider procedures venues may need to consider for emergency response and preparedness.

Martyn’s Law does not specify that a venue must use a particular radio system, body camera or communications product.

However, it does reinforce the importance of having communication arrangements that can be implemented quickly and effectively when required.

For stadium operators reviewing their preparedness, communication considerations may include:

• How would an emerging threat be reported to control?
• How would urgent instructions reach stewards and security teams?
• Can staff communicate reliably throughout the venue?
• How would communications support an evacuation, invacuation or lockdown?
• Do staff understand which channel or escalation route to use?
• Could urgent communication be prioritised over routine radio traffic?
• Are procedures understood by permanent staff, contractors and temporary event personnel?

Reliable radios alone do not make a venue compliant with Martyn’s Law.

However, effective communications can support the wider emergency procedures and preparedness arrangements a stadium puts in place.

Are your radio channels structured properly?

One of the most common stadium communication challenges is trying to put too much traffic through one channel.

At a smaller venue or quieter event, that may be manageable.

During a busy fixture, however, several operational teams may be trying to communicate simultaneously.

Depending on the stadium, separate channels or talk groups could be appropriate for functions such as:

• security;
• stewarding;
• event operations;
• traffic management;
• management or supervisors.

The challenge is finding the right balance.

Too few channels can create congestion.

Too many can make communication unnecessarily complicated and make it harder for teams to know where information should be shared.

Channel planning should therefore be based around who genuinely needs to communicate with whom, while maintaining a clear route for important information to reach supervisors and control.

Where do body cameras fit into stadium security systems?

Two-way radios and body cameras perform different roles, but they can complement one another as part of wider stadium security systems.

A simple distinction is:

Two-way radios help teams communicate, coordinate and request support while an incident is taking place.

Body cameras can provide a visual and audio record of incidents and interactions from the perspective of frontline personnel.

Used together, the technologies can support different elements of the wider security operation.

A radio allows a steward or security operative to request assistance immediately.

A body camera may provide footage that can subsequently be reviewed, depending on how the system is deployed and managed.

Body cameras should not, however, simply be handed out as standalone equipment.

Venues should consider:

• which roles will use them;
• when recording should take place;
• staff training;
• how footage will be transferred;
• how recordings will be stored;
• who can access footage;
• retention arrangements;
• applicable data protection requirements.

These considerations should form part of the wider stadium security planning process.

Stadium requirements can change from one event to another

A stadium’s communication requirements are not necessarily the same for every event.

Additional equipment or different arrangements may be needed for:

• high-attendance or high-profile fixtures;
• concerts;
• temporary events;
• additional security deployments;
• increased stewarding levels;
• changes in operational arrangements;
• one-off requirements.

That may mean additional radios, body cameras, batteries or accessories are required for a relatively short period.

Short-term radio hire can provide additional capacity without requiring venues to permanently increase their equipment fleet.

It also means communication planning should not be treated as a one-time exercise.

Changes to staffing, event formats, venue layouts and operational procedures can all affect how teams need to communicate.

Six questions to ask before your next matchday

1. Can every team communicate reliably where they actually work?

Do not assume coverage based on testing one part of the stadium.

Check the areas in which stewards, security and operational teams will genuinely be positioned.

2. Does every radio user know who to contact when support is required?

Staff should understand their radio channel, call sign and escalation route before the event begins.

3. Can control immediately understand where something is happening?

Consistent terminology for stands, gates, blocks and zones can reduce confusion when staff report an incident.

4. Are busy channels making important messages harder to hear?

Consider whether routine radio traffic could prevent operationally important information from getting through quickly.

5. Does your communication setup reflect the way the stadium operates today?

Staffing levels, venue layouts and event formats change.

The communication system should change with them.

6. Could your communication system support your emergency procedures?

Consider how quickly control, security, stewards and other teams could communicate if the venue needed to implement an evacuation, invacuation, lockdown or another emergency procedure.

Staff should understand both the procedure and their role within it.

If the answer to any of these questions is “not always”, there may be more to review than simply replacing the radios.

Common stadium communication mistakes

Choosing equipment before assessing the venue

Starting with a particular radio model can result in the communication system being designed around the equipment rather than the stadium’s actual operational and coverage requirements.

Focusing only on the number of handsets

Radio requirements should be based around roles, teams, locations, supervisors and resilience requirements not simply total staff numbers.

Allowing channels to become overcrowded

Putting every operational team onto the same channel can make it harder for important communication to get through.

Using inconsistent location terminology

Different names for the same gate, stand or area can unnecessarily slow down incident reporting and response.

Overlooking batteries and accessories

Matchday and event staff may work long shifts.

Radios need to remain operational throughout the required period, so charging arrangements, spare batteries and appropriate audio accessories should be considered in advance.

Reviewing communications only after something goes wrong

Venue layouts, staffing arrangements and event programmes change.

Regular reviews can help identify communication gaps before teams are relying on the system in a live environment.

Better stadium security starts with better communication

When reviewing security for a stadium, communications should form part of the wider operational and emergency planning.

Effective stadium security depends on people being able to identify what is happening, communicate accurate information and coordinate the right response.

Two-way radios are an important part of that process, but the handset itself is only one element.

Coverage, channels, call signs, escalation procedures, staff roles, batteries, accessories, supporting infrastructure and staff understanding should all be considered around the way the venue actually operates.

Body cameras can complement that setup where frontline recording is appropriate.

As venues prepare for the requirements introduced by Martyn’s Law, communication procedures and the ability to implement them effectively are also becoming an increasingly important part of wider preparedness.

At Digitall Comms, we work with sports clubs and venues, including Bradford City, to provide communication solutions built around their operational requirements.

That can include:

• two-way radio systems;
• body cameras;
• radio coverage planning;
• channel and talk-group planning;
• repeaters and supporting infrastructure;
• fixed and control-room communications;
• short-term radio hire for individual fixtures and events.

Is your stadium communication system ready for matchday – and for an emergency?

If you are reviewing your current stadium security systems, radio coverage, channel structure or emergency communication arrangements, speak to Digitall Comms.

We can review your existing setup, understand how your teams operate and identify where your stadium communications could be strengthened.

Arrange a stadium communications review with Digitall Comms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are two-way radios used for stadium security?

Two-way radios give stewards, security teams, supervisors and control a direct way to communicate across the venue. They can be used to report incidents, request assistance, share updates and coordinate operational teams.

Do all stadium stewards need a radio?

Not necessarily. Radio allocation should be based on roles, locations and the venue’s communication plan. The important point is that staff have a clear and reliable route for requesting support when required.

How should radio channels be organised in a stadium?

There is no single structure that works for every venue. Channel planning should reflect the number of teams, expected radio traffic and how information needs to reach supervisors and control.

Can stadiums hire additional radios for individual events?

Yes. Short-term radio hire can be useful when a venue needs additional equipment for particular fixtures, concerts, temporary events or increased staffing levels.

How do body cameras support stadium security systems?

Body cameras can provide a visual and audio record of incidents and interactions from the perspective of frontline staff. Their use should be supported by appropriate policies covering recording, training, storage, access and data protection.

What role can communications play in Martyn’s Law preparedness?

Martyn’s Law does not prescribe a particular radio system. However, reliable communications can support a venue’s wider emergency procedures by helping staff report issues, receive instructions and coordinate during situations such as evacuation, invacuation or lockdown.