K. Beerschot V.A. contacted us at the start of the 2020-2021 Jupiler Pro League football season. After two home games behind closed doors, football clubs were granted permission to allow supporters back into the stadium, and Beerschot naturally wanted to act on this immediately. Supporters are the driving force behind a team and provide that extra dimension by cheering the home team to victory. The fans were eager to encourage their favorite team once again.

Together with the board, we immediately started mapping out the flow and the segmentation of the stadium. However, the location has many nooks and crannies, making this far from a routine task. But thanks to our experience in managing crowd flows, we made rapid progress.

Preparation: We divided the stadium into 8 zones. This allowed us to provide every visitor with a safe environment to watch the match. Should a problem arise anywhere, the small-scale setup of a zone allowed us to intervene quickly and nip the problem in the bud.

A designated zone ensures that a one-way traffic flow can be guaranteed. In each zone, there is one staircase providing access to the stands and one staircase giving access to the area below the stands. This prevents two-way traffic on the same stairs, complying with the guidelines of the Pro League and the government. Working with larger zones and multiple staircases makes the process more complex and makes it impossible to guarantee a single direction of travel.

The zones were also determined based on the facilities available in and under the stands, ensuring every supporter had access to them. Each zone was equipped with the following facilities:

• 1 x Entry & exit with turnstile and ticket scanner
• 2 x Stairs to the stands to guarantee a one-way flow
• 1 x Toilet block for men & women
• 1 x Bar
• 1 x Top-up point for electronic payment cards
• 1 x Dedicated section in the stands to create the zone

To guarantee the flow, we created a signage plan to organize each zone in a logical and structured manner. We produced large signs and banners to ensure everyone in the stands knew where to go for a drink or the restrooms. The designs were created by our own team and delivered to the printer ready for production.

Execution

The plans also had to be brought to life. No problem—we provide a full-service approach alongside our own stagehands and trusted suppliers.

In just a few days, we ensured the stadium was ready for the next match. We applied nearly 4,000 green stickers to the seats in the stands to indicate where people were allowed to sit. We also installed more than 1,000 meters of fencing to guarantee the direction of flow beneath the stands.

All printed materials were created by our in-house designers. Once printed, we installed them on truss structures, stairs, BeMatrix frames, and entry gates. The signage was put in place by our team of experienced stagehands and coordinators.

The first match could not proceed without extensive testing of the setup in every zone. Was the flow correct? Was the signage at the right height? Were the walkways too wide or too narrow? In short: was everything COVID-proof? The testing was carried out by our own staff.

After a few minor adjustments, everything was approved by the fire department, police, the City of Antwerp, and the club’s safety coordinator. This safety check was repeated before every subsequent match to ensure a flawless start every time.

During the Match

Once everything was installed, we were ready for the game. On the match day itself, more than 100 stewards and Beerschot staff members were present. To ensure everything ran smoothly, we provided 60 additional staff members, including hosts, restroom attendants, and zone coordinators. Each zone coordinator managed a team of five hosts who assisted the stewards both in and under the stands. The hosts ensured that every supporter walked in the correct direction. Our restroom attendants made sure that only a limited number of people were in the facilities at once, while also taking responsibility for cleanliness and disinfection.

The zone coordinators remained in close contact with our event coordinator in the CP-OPS (Command Post), who monitored every development alongside the police, safety coordinator, steward coordinator, and the club. This streamlined organization resulted in three successful home games without any incidents. Unfortunately, after the third match, it was decided that the public was no longer allowed to attend due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections in Belgium.