Enhancing the NFL's counter-terrorism efforts: is the league's security scheme able to effectively thwart terrorist attacks?

Abstract

The National Football League (NFL) has become the unofficial national pastime in the United States due to its massive popularity in terms of game attendance, television viewership, and annual revenues. Because the league is far and away the most popular professional sports league in the world, there exists a risk that its games will be targeted by terrorists seeking either to announce their agenda or simply to inflict as many casualties as possible. My thesis answers the following questions: How adequate is security at non-Super Bowl NFL games against potential terrorist attacks? And how can the government and the league best manage this interface of public and private issues—and secure major-league regular season football games and their tailgates effectively and in a manner that does not scare away the fan base? Additionally, the thesis draws comparative lessons from the security programs at U.S. international airports and in the English Premier League. It concludes that the NFL has largely succeeded in its protective efforts but must yet improve security in tailgating areas, especially in surrounding private lots.