College football stadium technology is increasingly starting before fans reach their seats. The University of Memphis has deployed Evolv Express Gen2 AI-assisted screening systems at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium as part of its push to modernize the game-day experience.
Memphis Athletics announced the deployment September 23. The systems were installed in late August and are now being used for the 2026 football season. The university says nearly 200,000 fans pass through the stadium over the course of a football season.
AI-assisted screening replaces the previous entry system
Evolv Express combines advanced sensors with artificial intelligence to flag potential threats while allowing people to continue walking through a checkpoint at a natural pace. Memphis says the Gen2 deployment replaces its previous screening solution and is intended to reduce friction at stadium entrances without eliminating security screening.
The technology is not autonomous security. Alerts still require human security personnel and secondary screening. That distinction is important when describing AI at physical venues: the software and sensors are designed to assist the screening workflow, not independently determine whether a person poses a threat.
Part of a $226.5 million stadium transformation
The screening upgrade arrives alongside a much larger technology overhaul at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Memphis Athletics previously detailed a $226.5 million renovation that includes a 47-by-114-foot south videoboard, a new north videoboard, a 17-by-284-foot mega ribbon display, a stadium-wide 360-degree distributed audio system and color-changing LED sports lighting.
The renovated stadium has an official capacity of 45,632. Together, the display, audio, lighting and entrance systems show how modern college-football venues are becoming technology platforms rather than simply concrete bowls surrounding a field.
Stadium computing is moving toward the gate
For sports technology, the notable shift is where computation is being deployed. Cameras, sensors, networking, digital ticketing and AI-assisted screening increasingly operate before kickoff, while high-resolution displays, distributed audio and connected production systems shape the experience once fans are inside.
Evolv says its systems are also used at other collegiate and professional sports venues. Memphis’ adoption makes AI-assisted entry another piece of the expanding digital infrastructure surrounding college football.
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