There are certain teams in sports that elicit particularly strong feelings from fans – the New York Yankees, for example, and Notre Dame Football. The New England Patriots also fall in that category – and regardless of if you cheer for them or not, there’s no denying that the franchise is one of the most successful and prominent in all sports. Today, we are proud to announce that Cisco is now An Official Technology Partner of the organization, trusted to connect and protect both the team and Gillette Stadium.
Cisco has a long-standing relationship with the Patriots, and the recent renovation of Gillette Stadium provided an opportunity to further harness the power of our industry-leading solutions to power one of the greatest stadiums in the NFL. New England joins Cisco’s robust portfolio of NFL partnerships, delivering seamless, secure connectivity to the league, teams (San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals), stadiums (SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium) and partners.
One of the key elements of the Gillette Stadium renovation is the delivery of video inside and outside of the venue, and Cisco technology is playing a key role. From the largest outdoor high-definition stadium video board in the country, to screens throughout the concourses, suites, concessions, to the broadcasters delivering the game to fans around the world, Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media solution allows for the secure and efficient delivery of 4K content to fans everywhere. This technology has been used to power the broadcast of some of the largest and most prestigious sporting events in the world, including FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2023. IP Fabric for Media also serves as the backbone of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, arguably the most state-of-the-art sporting venue in the world – and a completely end-to-end Cisco-powered building.
Michael Israel, Chief Information Officer of The Kraft Group, said of the partnership: “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Cisco and further integrate cutting-edge technology to secure The Kraft Group’s operating environment while leading Gillette Stadium into the future. Over the past several years, our Cisco footprint has expanded beyond Webex collaboration to include the benefits of Cisco’s cutting-edge technology to elevate our security stance and capabilities in the ways we serve content to our guests at Gillette Stadium.”
In addition to the high-speed reliable network connectivity, Cisco Secure Firewalls are deployed throughout the venue to protect the stadium, staff, players, and guests from advanced cyber threats. Running across the network infrastructure, Cisco Secure Malware Analytics helps monitor, detect, and stop threats in their tracks. The Patriots will also leverage Webex to enhance productivity for the team and staff, including use in weekly coaches’ press conferences throughout the season.
But just like the team on the field, Cisco is not going at it alone. We are working hand-in-hand with longtime partner Acadia Technology Group to ensure that all of the technology in place at Gillette Stadium is fully integrated and delivering with excellence.
While there is no telling what the remainder of the season will hold for the Patriots, our solutions and expertise will allow the organization to continue providing fans at Gillette Stadium with a seamless and secure gameday experience – showcasing why when the game is on the line, the NFL – and the Patriots – rely on Cisco.
