NEW YORK — The New York Yankees’ ban of a pair of fans from Game 5 of the World Series is enforceable in a venue of roughly 50,000 people because “the stadium is equipped with mechanisms to identify people who are excluded,” said a person briefed on stadium security protocols who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Therefore, even if someone else bought tickets for them to use, the two fans who interfered with Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts in Game 4 — or anyone else prohibited from entering — likely would have a hard time walking in.
One fan tried to pry the ball out of Betts’ glove down the right-field line on Tuesday night, while another grabbed at Betts’ wrist, prompting the one-game ban and critical statements from both the Yankees and the Major League Baseball Players Association.
The person briefed on stadium protocols declined to elaborate on the mechanisms. Clubs rarely disclose specific security measures.
Another New York sports venue, Madison Square Garden, controversially used facial recognition technology to enforce ban lists, drawing the attention of the New York Attorney General.
In August, a protest was held outside Citi Field to protest the use of facial recognition technology at ballparks. Several human rights organizations submitted a letter asking MLB not to collect biometric data.
Some teams are embracing facial recognition technology for stadium entry. At least four major-league parks are now equipped with what MLB is calling “Go-Ahead Entry.” The system relies on “a camera that will authenticate fans, automatically scanning tickets once identified,” per the Philadelphia Phillies’ website, which calls the system “completely voluntary.”
At media entrances at Yankee Stadium and Dodger Stadium during this year’s World Series, media members are verified by that or a similar facial recognition system.
The Yankees offer entry via CLEAR, a company that is best known for offering a fast-lane entry option at airports via biometrics.
(Top photo of Yankees fans and Mookie Betts: Al Bello / Getty Images)
