Stadium lost and found procedure: event day and the days after
This stadium lost and found procedure covers what a stadium or arena does with items found during and after an event, from the stands and concourses to guest services and back to fans, with examples quoted from stadiums’ and arenas’ own published rules.
Event days bring many items at once, so the procedure sorts them by type: perishables go the same day, phones and wallets go to a locked store, and the rest is logged before the next event.
Updated
The procedure, step by step
Collect during and after the event
Stewards and cleaning crews bring items to guest services during the event and after the sweep, with a note of the section or area.
Discard perishables the same day
Throw away food and drink on the day, and say so in your published policy.
For example, Shell Energy Stadium:
All perishable items will be discarded at the end of the day.
Houston Dynamo FCLog and lock up valuables
Log phones, wallets, keys and identity cards first, with a reference and a photo, and keep them in a locked store.
Tell fans how to ask after they leave
Publish one way to report a loss after the event, such as a form or an email address, and reply to each report.
For example, London Stadium:
If you are no longer at the venue, please email our customer services team
London StadiumCheck ownership and sign the item out
Ask for a description and photo identification, and have the owner sign for the item.
For example, Shell Energy Stadium:
Any individual claiming to be the rightful owner of a lost item needs to provide a reasonable description of the item, present a valid photo identification card, and sign a receipt/the lost and found register before such item is returned to them.
Houston Dynamo FCHold each type for its period
Keep each type of item for the period your policy states, and publish the periods by type.
For example, M&T Bank Stadium:
Phones – Held for 30 days before disposal.
Baltimore RavensClear the contents of wallets and phones
Destroy cards and documents found in wallets, and wipe or destroy phones, as your policy says, before donation or disposal.
For example, M&T Bank Stadium:
Items found inside wallets are disposed of after 30 days for privacy and safety.
Baltimore RavensDonate or dispose, and record it
At the end of each period, donate or dispose of the item as your policy says and record what was done.
For example, Kardinia Park (GMHBA Stadium):
After this time we will donate items to charity.
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
Where the holding period comes from
Stadiums and arenas set their own periods. Our holding periods data lists the periods they publish, with the words that support each one.
Frequently asked questions
How long do stadiums keep lost property?+
Each stadium sets its own period, often different by type of item. The holding periods data on this site lists the periods stadiums and arenas publish, with the median and the middle half for those in the table.
What should a stadium do with items found in the stands?+
Bring them to guest services with a note of the section, discard food and drink the same day, log and lock up valuables, and log the rest before the next event.
Should a stadium keep phones longer than clothing?+
Some publish different periods by type and keep phones longer than clothing, as the Highmark Stadium and Huntington Center rows in our holding periods data show. Choose periods you can store and publish them.
Run the procedure in one place
vFound Lost & Found takes each found item from photo to shelf to claim to return, with every step recorded, on your site’s own lost and found page.
Request your free trial