The NCS4 has successfully concluded its 17th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition with a record number of attendees and exhibitors. The conference was held June 23-25 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California.
The 2026 theme, “Honoring the Past, Securing the Future,” paid tribute to the visionaries, partners, and professionals who have shaped the sport and special event safety and security industry and explored emerging challenges, technologies, and strategies that define its future.
The conference opened with a keynote from Brian Dubiski, co-founder/treasurer, Pink Bows Foundation, who discussed how his family, along with the Pink Bows Foundation, has turned the tragedy of the Astroworld incident into action. Dubiski was followed by Forrest Dodd, Instructor, NCS4, who led a session on the “Risk Landscape of NIL.”
General sessions addressed key issues relevant to today’s sports safety and security professionals, including crowd safety, emergency response readiness and exercises, NIL issues, planning for fans with disabilities, eSports security lessons, emerging threats, international sports travel, weather risks, and managing security on a budget.
