As a lifelong Patriots fan, I’ve spent plenty of Sundays at Gillette Stadium feeling the electric energy that defines New England Patriots football. But what fans see on the field is only part of the story.
Behind the scenes, the Patriots and The Kraft Group are transforming the technology that powers their organization—and I’m proud that Cisco is the critical infrastructure partner making it happen.
Since 2023, Cisco has been the Official Technology Partner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium. Now, we’re expanding that relationship to become the Official Enterprise Networking, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Analytics Partner — powering a more connected, secure and intelligent stadium experience.
Bringing that vision to life takes strong collaboration. NWN, the Kraft Group’s Official Technology Infrastructure Partner and a longtime Cisco Partner, works alongside the organization to support its broader technology environment. Together, Cisco and NWN contribute complementary expertise as The Kraft Group continues to evolve the technology supporting its venues, facilities and operations—with Cisco providing the critical networking and connectivity foundation at the heart of this transformation.
There are three things we’re delivering through our technology:
Accelerating Operational Agility
The Kraft Group is moving from a collection of siloed technologies to a unified, secure, IP-powered platform. That gives their IT teams greater visibility, more control, and less complexity of managing infrastructure.
Cisco Cloud Control will add another layer of intelligence to that environment. Using AI-powered capabilities to help manage and monitor the network, the platform will give The Kraft Group new ways to understand and manage its environment – capabilities that haven’t been previously available.
And when technology teams spend less time managing infrastructure, they can spend more time using technology to transform the business — from the front office to football operations.
Whether it’s using AI to enhance security on game days or track activity across manufacturing warehouses, AI use cases continue to multiply across The Kraft Group’s portfolio. And that’s exactly why the infrastructure matters. We’re establishing Cisco as the critical infrastructure for the AI era — and The Kraft Group is investing in the right foundation they need to take full advantage of AI’s potential.
Unlocking AI-Driven Performance
Michael Israel, The Kraft Group’s CIO shared a vision that resonated deeply with our mission at Cisco: “At The Kraft Group, we are constantly looking for ways to innovate and elevate our operations. By upgrading our infrastructure with Cisco, we are bringing AI capabilities directly into our own data centers with a focus on performance and, most importantly, security. This foundation ensures that as we deploy sophisticated AI agents and new workloads, we can do so with the confidence that our network is both resilient and future-ready.”
You can see that vision taking shape in the Patriots’ new 160,000-square-foot training facility, the New Balance Athletics Center. Designed to be AI-capable, the facility can create a smarter environment that understands schedules, occupancy and the needs of players and staff. Imagine lighting and temperature adjusting before the first player even walks through the door.
That’s technology working in the background to help people perform at their best.
Turning Infrastructure into a Competitive Advantage with Cisco Wi-Fi 7
Following the 2026–27 season, we’ll bring Cisco Wi-Fi 7 to Gillette Stadium. For fans, that means a better-connected experience. For the organization, it means a future-ready foundation that can continue to evolve as technology does.
And this is a significant competitive win for Cisco. We’re replacing the stadium’s legacy provider and expanding our role with one of the most iconic organizations in sports. Gillette Stadium will join a number of leading stadiums and venues in deploying Cisco Wi-Fi 7—a strong signal that sports and entertainment organizations are looking to Cisco to help build the infrastructure for the AI era.
Looking Ahead – A Connected Future for Gillette Stadium
I’m incredibly proud of the Cisco and NWN teams who have worked tirelessly to make this partnership a reality. It takes trust, persistence and a willingness to keep pushing through obstacles—and this team has delivered all three.
And, personally, there’s something pretty special about seeing Cisco technology help transform a place that has meant so much to me for so many years – and will continue for the years to come.
The future of Gillette Stadium is going to be more connected, more intelligent, and more secure.
And I’m proud Cisco is helping build what comes next.
Let’s go, Pats!
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