What does it really take to move tens of thousands of fans safely into a high-profile event filled with celebrities, athletes, and priceless assets?

In this episode of The Security Equation with Dan Donovan, Dan sits down with Richard Askintowicz, Operations Manager at Fanatics Events, to break down the realities of modern event security, crowd management, and large-scale operational planning.

From Fanatics Fest to massive sports and comic conventions, Richard explains how today’s event leaders balance guest experience with advanced protection, and how partners like Stratoscope are transforming security through technology, command infrastructure, and proactive planning.

This is a firsthand look at how the world’s biggest events stay protected — without slowing anyone down.

🔗 Learn more about Stratoscope:

https://www.stratoscope.com

📲 Follow Dan Donovan:

Instagram: @ddonovan5050

Security isn’t just protection. It’s strategy.

This is The Security Equation.

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Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & Background

Richard’s journey from trade shows to leading major fan events

05:40 – The reality of Fanatics Fest

Managing 70,000 fans, celebrities, and high-value assets

11:20 – The biggest threats at modern events

Soft targets, reputational risk, and unpredictable variables

18:10 – How Stratoscope upgrades entry security

Replacing older systems with advanced detection + command centers

25:30 – Celebrity & athlete movement strategy

Behind-the-scenes planning the public never sees

32:15 – Crowd flow & access control planning

How congestion becomes risk — and how it’s eliminated

39:20 – The future of event security tech

Biometrics, facial recognition, robotics, and drones

46:55 – What separates great operators from average ones

Mindset, preparation, and communication

52:10 – Final thoughts: where the industry is heading