BEST Crowd Management

Name

BEST Crowd Management

Legal name

Whelan Event Staffing Services Inc.

Website

https://best.garda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Security and Crowd Management Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

VIP, Backstage & Crowd Management Services (BPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Security, Safety & Crowd Management (MPAGAAAI), Sports Security, Crowd Management & Event Medical Services (MPAGAMAL), Venue Security, Risk & Crowd Management (MPAGALAM), Event Security & Crowd Management (IMAIAEAD), Crowd Management & Queue Management Staff (HSACAEAD), Festivals, Fairs & Outdoor Event Security (BPAKACAC)

Keywords

• Event security services
• Crowd management
• Event staffing
• Guest services
• Venue security

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices42 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Security Services: Professional security guard staffing for events including access control, screening, patrols, and security response teams. Custom-tailored solutions for events of all sizes.
2. Event Staffing Services: Guest services staffing including ushers, ticket takers, greeters, crowd flow support, parking attendants, and other event personnel. Revenue generated through staffing fees.
3. On-Demand Temporary Security: Short-term, last-minute security guard services without long-term contracts. Service delivery within 24 hours for urgent security needs.
4. Event Security Consulting: Professional consulting services for event security planning, operations planning, emergency response planning, and business continuity services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BEST Crowd Management provides professional event security, crowd management, and event staffing services for sporting events, concerts, festivals, conventions, and other live events across North America. The company deploys trained security personnel and guest services staff to venues, stadiums, and arenas, supplemented by event security consulting and short-term on-demand guard services. It operates as a subsidiary of GardaWorld, with 25,000+ team members across 34 U.S. markets and 145+ venues.

Product overview

BEST Crowd Management is a service-based company providing comprehensive event security and crowd management solutions across North America. The core offerings consist of Event Security (physical security guards and screening), Event Staffing (guest services and support personnel), and Event Consulting (security planning and emergency response). On-Demand Security provides rapid deployment of temporary guards for short-term needs. These services are delivered across seven event sectors: sporting events, concerts & festivals, consumer tradeshows, conventions & corporate, private events, community events, and labor strike security. The company operates as part of GardaWorld and emphasizes human expertise, proprietary training programs, and operational consistency across 145+ venues nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Event Security Professional event security services including walk-through metal detectors, handheld metal detector operators, bag checkers, buffer zone staff, alcohol monitors, entry ticket scanners, and security patrol teams to protect venues, property, and attendees.
• Event Staffing
• Event Consulting
• On-Demand Security
• Concerts & Festivals Security
• Consumer Tradeshows Security
• Conventions & Corporate Event Security
• Private Events Security
• Community Events Security
• Labor Strike Security
• Sporting Events Security

Quantifiable outcome

• Secured largest ticketed concert in U.S. history with 110,905 fans at George Strait's Kyle Field concert
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GardaWorldcoreOthersBEST Crowd Management is a subsidiary of GardaWorld (Whelan Event Staffing Services Inc. doing business as BEST Crowd Management). As part of GardaWorld, BEST has access to a vast network of resources and the ability to combine services with GardaWorld and its subsidiaries for comprehensive security solutions. GardaWorld is an entrepreneurial-minded corporation building global champions in security services, employing more than 132,000 professionals across the globe.
• Legends GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEST Crowd Management expanded partnership with Legends Global across North America, providing integrated crowd management and event security services at venues where Legends operates. This partnership enhances service delivery and operational consistency at major venues and events.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Iron Mike Security: Iron Mike Security is a regional event security and crowd management firm that directly competes with BEST on stadium, festival, and venue accounts in its operating markets.
• APG Security: APG Security is a regional event and venue security provider that competes with BEST for stadium, arena, and entertainment venue contracts in select US markets.
• National Event Services: National Event Services provides crowd management, ticket taking, and ushers for stadiums and concert venues, directly overlapping BEST's service portfolio on mid-market and regional venue accounts.
• Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC): CSC is the closest direct competitor to BEST Crowd Management, providing event security, crowd management, and guest services for major sporting events, concerts, and conventions across the US. They compete head-to-head on the same major league, stadium, and promoter accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Allied Universal: Allied Universal is the largest US security services company and operates a significant event and venue security division that competes with BEST for major venue and sports league contracts, though its core business is broader enterprise guarding.
• Securitas: Securitas is a global security services leader with an event security offering that overlaps BEST's core services, though it primarily competes in enterprise guarding rather than specializing in crowd management for mega-events.
• Universal Protection Service: Universal Protection Service (now part of Allied Universal) provides a broad range of security services including event and venue security that overlap with BEST's offerings.
• G4S (now part of Allied Universal): G4S provided global security and event staffing services and was acquired by Allied Universal in 2021, creating the dominant US security services competitor with overlapping event security capabilities to BEST.

Emerging players

• Vetted Security Solutions: Vetted Security Solutions is an emerging event and venue security provider that competes with BEST on select sports, concert, and convention accounts with a focus on tech-enabled staffing.

Others

• AEG Facilities (Anschutz Entertainment Group): AEG operates many of the largest US venues and occasionally self-provides or in-sources certain event security functions, making it both a potential customer and a competitive threat to BEST in select markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GardaWorld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/best-crowd-management

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BEST Crowd Management