More baseball stadium biometrics…

Yankees announce improved security and entrance measures for fans (Crain’s) &#8212 Yankee Stadium visitors soon will be able to avoid long security lines by registering their fingerprints with a biometric identity service used at 12 U.S. airports.

In another deployment the St. Louis Cardinals (baseball’s second-most successful franchise in history) have installed iris biometrics for player and staff access control in more secure locations.

Hungary: Some fans bristle at stadium palm vein scanners

Soccer-Ferencvaros fans upset by biometric ‘intrusion’ (Yahoo!)

Szebasztian Huber, editor of the Fradi fan website ulloi129.hu said many fans also fear that technological developments would help clubs pass Hungarian Football Association fines — which they regard as too strict — on to them.

Stricter stadium rules also puzzle fans because the number of violent incidents in and around Hungarian stadiums is much lower than 10 or 20 years ago, he added.

“The culture of soccer fans is different everywhere, in some countries (vein scanners) would be tolerated, while elsewhere fans could be upset,” Huber said. “Launching the system highlighting its comfort functions could increase tolerance.”

Biometric system keeps excluded man from attending Boca Juniors-River Plate game

Argentina’s derby of derbies ends all-square (The Star – Malaysia) 

Meanwhile, security measures appeared to have worked efficiently after a renowned figure among Boca’s ‘barra brava’ or hooligan fringe was picked up by biometric identification system and was refused entry to the venue.

Mauro Martin tried to get into the game but Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo said he had been caught in the net and was prevented from attending after his fingerprints were checked.

During the summer, Martin required hospital treatment for a gunshot wound suffered in a confrontation between rival Boca hardcore followers.

Here’s the scene yesterday at the ‘Bombonera’ in Buenos Aires. It’s obviously an incredible atmosphere.

Notice that the players seem to be deposited into the center of the field via a long protective tube.