SECURITY IS A RELATIVE TERM

Everyone knows that TV crews are more than just a little familiar with the intricacies of the country's sports venues. This applies to stadium and arena security as well, especially if there are potential breaches.

So local crew members at one multipurpose arena weren't exactly surprised when a man slipped through the venue's vaunted security web around 3:00 PM on a game day and managed to get down to the service & locker room level before being stopped.

Not that he needed additional help getting inside the building, but the man was also armed with a gun. He peacefully relinquished his weapon when he was finally detained.

Somehow this story has gone unreported by the mainstream media, leaving shaken and embarrassed arena management breathing several signs of relief.

No word if the venue's security measures are being re-evaluated.

Do you think it will matter?

Prudential Center: Insured against terrorists?

Photo: Richard Perry/The New York Times

Oops?

We're all used to working in new arenas and ballparks that have forgotten, or missed something during planning or construction. It seems many of these mistakes occur in areas where media work:

Busch Stadium, St. Louis: Writers press box that can't see the field. Rain from elevated I-64/40 drains directly onto TV compound.

Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, TX: Tunnel for TV trucks to enter enclosed TV compound built too small for TV trucks.

Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA: No camera positions at all. No cables either.

Coors Field, Denver: All original triax connectors in ballpark are female.

But those things don't matter much to the Average Joe who just wants to go to a game.

Well THIS mistake may make anyone working OR just attending a Devils hockey game at the new Prudential Center in Newark, NJ think twice...

According to an AP story published on October 11, 2007, Newark's new Prudential Arena is too close to the street to shield it from a terrorist attack. Neither Mayor Cory Booker nor Police Director Garry McCarthy will say who is to blame for the oversight. McCarthy tells The Star-Ledger of Newark as far as he can tell, a homeland security survey was never done.

Never done?

For a new arena with a capacity of over 17,000?

Never done?

For a multipurpose building that will host over 200 events a year?

Never done?

For a large public gathering place only 9 miles from Ground Zero?

Never done?

What will go through your mind the next time you're asked to work a Devils or Seton Hall game?

Never done!

Upcoming post: An insider review of the new Prudential Center.