Sports fans and concert goers alike are all too familiar with the frustration of security bag checks, where a simple purse can turn into a major inconvenience.
The hassle starts before you even leave the house. A person must ensure that they have a bag that meets the venue’s specific size and material restrictions. Upon arrival, they often have to stand in a long line for a security guard to riffle through that bag. That can create a headache for them and the people in line behind them.
These days, most big venues require clear bags to speed up security checks. That means that people’s personal items — be it credit cards, money, tickets, keys, or IDs — are exposed.
But a Southeast-based entrepreneur based wanted to change how people get through the security line. Last year Linda Drinkwine launched CYA (Cover Your Assets) as a new line of stadium-safe clear purses. And now that football season is upon us, Drinkwine is ready to bring her bags to more stadiums.
Inside a CYA Bag
CYA bags come with two components: The actual clear bag and a cover. The CYA covers, which come in a variety of spirited designs, can snap off when a security guard needs to check the inside of the bag. Upon entry, the cover can be easily reattached.
This ensures that people carrying a purse can walk around safely without concern that their personal items are exposed.
“When you are by yourself with a clear plastic purse with your money or credit cards…it’s kind of unsettling,” Drinkwine told Hypepotamus. “Random strangers in the crowd or on the street don’t need to know what’s going on.”
To date, the covers are designed to match with popular football schools and sorority colors, making it easier for those looking to bring a more fashionable bag into a venue. CYA is currently available in two sizes, both of which fit the requirements of most venues.
Bringing A New Product To Stadiums
Drinkwine brings her extensive professional background in marketing and advertising to her new venture. Before jumping into the consumer product space as an entrepreneur, Drinkwine worked in advertising sales for Atlanta’s media station WSB-TV, where she was responsible for on air, online, and sales promotions/opportunities.
Upon stepping away from WSB-TV after 22 years in 2019, Drinkwine learned she was “not necessarily a really great retired person,” saying with a smile that she didn’t “have the golf bug or the tennis bug.”
But she certainly caught the entrepreneurial bug as she started to work on bringing CYA to the market. She credits the help she received from the Lucas Center, the entrepreneurial center at the College of Coastal Georgia, with helping her get off the ground. Self-funded to date, Drinkwine started by looking at different prints for her covers at her local JOANN Fabrics.
From the beginning, she knew she wanted to focus on college sports fans. She is particularly focused on SEC schools, given their strong and loyal fanbase. But the bags are perfectly suited for concerts, professional sports games, or any event requiring clear bags to enter.
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Photos from CYA’s website and social media
