And this transformation is no longer theoretical.

The Kraft Group – owner of the New England Patriots, New England Revolution, and Gillette Stadium – just announced a strategic partnership with NWN to modernize and transform technology across the Kraft Group ecosystem.

The NFL announced a partnership this week, making NetApp the “Official Intelligent Data Infrastructure Partner” across the league, and highlighting initiatives to develop and implement data infrastructure and management solutions to drive innovation. The San Francisco 49ers franchise also partnered with NetApp earlier this year to enhance the fan experience at Levi Stadium?.

The Smart Stadium Revolution

Modern sports venues are evolving from simple concrete arenas into digitally immersive experiences. Today’s fans expect more than a game—they want seamless connectivity, personalized engagement, and real-time digital interactions that enhance the live event.

That’s exactly what the Kraft Group and New England Patriots are building at Gillette Stadium in partnership with NWN. From AI-powered wayfinding apps to enhanced IPTV networks and mobile-first concessions, the stadium is becoming an intelligent environment designed to adapt to fan behavior and deliver frictionless experiences.

“It’s not just about putting Wi-Fi in a stadium anymore,” said Andrew Gilman, CMO at NWN. “It’s about creating a dynamic, intelligent environment that adapts in real-time to how fans move, what they want, and how they engage.”

“Fans expect stadiums to be as smart as their homes,” said Michael Israel, CIO of the Kraft Group. “We’re creating an ecosystem where fans don’t need to think about the tech—they just feel the impact of a smooth, connected, elevated experience.”

Expanded Wi-Fi, contactless entry, mobile ordering, and immersive content delivery are now essentials, not luxuries. AI and cloud infrastructure make this possible by analyzing behavior, optimizing workflows, and serving up content that matches fan interests in real time. In the words of NetApp CMO Gabie Boko: “Professional sports franchises, including organizations like the NFL, possess a valuable wealth of data. When they connect that data to real-time insights, they have the potential to enhance fan loyalty and operational agility at the same time.”

Reimagining the Training Ground

While fans see the surface, the real magic is unfolding behind the scenes—inside the practice facilities, locker rooms, and digital playbooks of elite athletes.

At the Patriots’ new training facility, AI plays an integral role in team logistics and performance support. “We’re using AI to dynamically update schedules, distribute digital playbooks, and even automate environmental controls based on who’s in the room,” said Israel. “That creates a tailored environment for performance, where every player’s experience is optimized.”

“We're not just digitizing operations—we’re fundamentally reimagining how technology supports everything from player performance to fan satisfaction,” he added.

From smart lighting and climate systems to real-time coordination of training regimens, every detail is designed to enhance readiness and recovery. Virtual reality rooms will offer immersive pre-game visualization and post-game analysis—giving athletes the tools to mentally and physically prepare like never before.

This kind of intelligent infrastructure mirrors initiatives seen across other franchises too. The San Francisco 49ers’ partnership with NetApp showcases a similar transformation, leveraging AI to analyze massive amounts of performance data and deliver real-time insights to coaching staff. As Boko put it, “AI in sports isn’t just about speed—it’s about precision, personalization, and performance at scale.”

Infrastructure Is the New Competitive Edge

Beneath all the stadium excitement and locker-room innovations lies the foundational layer that makes it possible: a modern, scalable, secure IT infrastructure. For legacy organizations with decades-old systems and siloed operations, modernization isn’t just necessary—it’s urgent.

“We looked at our entire ecosystem across sports, packaging, and real estate and asked, ‘What kind of infrastructure supports that diversity at scale?’” Israel said. “That’s why we partnered with NWN—to build something agile, secure, and future-proof.”

The Patriots’ approach echoes what’s becoming a league-wide imperative: integrating cloud-native systems, unifying communications, and deploying high-performance networks that can handle the growing demands of AI, edge computing, and data analytics.

Redefining the Fan-Athlete Connection

Perhaps the most exciting transformation of all is the convergence between fan engagement and team operations. With AI personalizing the experience in real time, fans aren’t just watching—they’re interacting.

Whether it’s tailored content, real-time stats, or augmented reality overlays in-stadium, the game is becoming as immersive as it is competitive. Soon, fans may be able to choose camera angles, track their favorite player’s performance metrics, or engage with gamified content during commercial breaks—all powered by intelligent systems behind the scenes.

This evolution hinges primarily around data—and the ability to access it, integrate it, and take action based on it. By integrating real-time performance analytics, media platforms, and fan behavior tracking, sports franchises can create a continuous loop of insights that elevate engagement on and off the field.

The Future of Intelligent Sports

The digital transformation of sports isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategic reset.

Forward-thinking franchises are leveraging AI, cloud, and intelligent infrastructure not just to streamline operations, but to reinvent what’s possible. From smart stadiums to AI-driven training grounds, this fusion of technology and athletics is producing a faster, smarter, and more connected era of competition.

As Gabie Boko noted, “The franchises that embrace data as a competitive asset aren’t just enhancing the fan experience—they’re redefining the future of sports.”

In the NFL and beyond, the playbook is changing—and it’s being rewritten in code.

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