Fortinet Connects Tepper Sports & Entertainment Teams with Unified SASE Solution
Rhea-AI Summary
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) announced that Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE), owner of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, MLS's Charlotte FC, and Bank of America Stadium, has implemented Fortinet's Unified SASE and Security Fabric solutions to enhance their cybersecurity infrastructure.
The deployment includes Fortinet Unified SASE, Secure Networking with FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls, SecOps with FortiAnalyzer, and FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services. This unified platform provides consistent protection across TSE's facilities, including Bank of America Stadium and Atrium Health Performance Park, while securing remote workforce operations and cloud assets in Microsoft Azure.
The implementation helps TSE meet evolving NFL and MLS security standards while simplifying management for their IT team through a single, unified interface.
Positive
- Unified security platform reduces operational complexity and vendor management
- Seamless protection across multiple facilities and remote workforce
- Enhanced visibility and control through single interface
- Improved internal troubleshooting capabilities
- Integration with Microsoft Azure for consistent cloud security
Negative
- None.
Insights
Fortinet's TSE deal demonstrates enterprise adoption of Unified SASE, strengthening their position in high-profile sports sector security.
Fortinet's implementation of their Unified SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) solution for Tepper Sports & Entertainment represents a strategic win in the enterprise security market. The deployment spans multiple high-value properties including Bank of America Stadium, the Carolina Panthers (NFL), and Charlotte FC (MLS), showcasing Fortinet's ability to secure complex, multi-location environments with varying security requirements.
The implementation includes multiple integrated components of Fortinet's Security Fabric - Unified SASE (FortiSASE), Secure SD-WAN, FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services. This comprehensive deployment demonstrates the platform approach that differentiates Fortinet from point-solution providers.
What's particularly notable is TSE's emphasis on operational simplicity through interface consistency. The deployment addresses a critical market pain point: organizations needing enterprise-grade security without expanding IT headcount. The consistent FortiOS interface across products allows TSE's lean team to manage complex security infrastructure internally, reducing operational overhead while meeting stringent professional sports league security requirements.
This deployment also highlights Fortinet's strategy of extending consistent security from on-premises to cloud environments through their Azure integration, addressing the hybrid infrastructure reality of modern enterprises. The protection of high-value intellectual property (player scouting reports, proprietary schemes) for remote users demonstrates the platform's capability to secure sensitive data across distributed environments - a key selling point in today's hybrid work landscape.
While the financial terms aren't disclosed, this implementation represents Fortinet's continued execution of their platform strategy and ability to win marquee customers in sectors requiring advanced security measures with operational efficiency.
Fortinet Delivers Always-On Security Across Stadium, Office, and Remote Environments with a Unified, Hybrid Approach
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
News Summary
Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced that Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE), which owns and operates the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, MLS’s Charlotte FC, and Bank of America Stadium, has deployed Fortinet’s Unified SASE and other Security Fabric solutions to strengthen cybersecurity, simplify operations, and enable secure access for users across stadiums, offices, and remote environments.
“With Fortinet Unified SASE, we have significantly increased our security without adding extra work and inefficiencies for the support team,” said Rob Bence, VP of Technology and Cybersecurity at Tepper Sports & Entertainment. “With Fortinet, we did not have to learn multiple operating systems, and we can navigate our solutions with confidence. That not only makes us more efficient, but it has removed some of the guesswork of troubleshooting, so we can resolve issues internally more quickly.”
Unifying Security Across Facilities and the Field
With security needs spanning Bank of America Stadium, Atrium Health Performance Park, and a mobile workforce that includes global scouts and operations staff, TSE selected Fortinet to unify and modernize its security posture and reduce vendor complexity while enhancing visibility and control. TSE needed a solution that was simple to manage without sacrificing security. Fortinet enables consistent protection and performance across the entire TSE footprint, including critical facilities, key technology investments, and staff, while also addressing the growing volume of IoT and connected devices that connect throughout their high-density event environments.
“Organizations like Tepper Sports & Entertainment are modernizing their infrastructure to meet rising security demands without adding operational overhead,” said Jaime Romero, Executive Vice President, Marketing at Fortinet. “By leveraging Fortinet Unified SASE and FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services, TSE can protect users and data everywhere, from stadiums to remote locations, while simplifying management for a lean IT team. That’s the power of an integrated, AI-driven cybersecurity platform.”
TSE needed a platform capable of addressing evolving NFL and MLS security standards, while meeting the day-to-day demands of sports and entertainment operations. The organization deployed:
- Fortinet Unified SASE, including FortiSASE for seamless secure access, regardless of user location and Secure SD-WAN for resilient connectivity between facilities and cloud environments.
- Fortinet Secure Networking, including FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls with AI-powered threat protection and automation-driven network management with FortiManager to close security gaps and help organizations achieve better user experience.
- Fortinet SecOps, including FortiAnalyzer to power faster, smarter operations with a unified data lake, enhanced visibility, and automation from a single turnkey platform.
- FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services, including the data loss prevention (DLP) Service, and Attack Surface Management protection for broad threat coverage.
Protecting High-Value IP and Cloud Assets
From player scouting reports to proprietary schemes, TSE’s most sensitive data often resides with remote users. With Fortinet Unified SASE, all user traffic, both on-site and remote, ensures constant protection and consistent policy enforcement.
The organization also extended its Fortinet deployment into Microsoft Azure using FortiGate virtual machines, allowing for uniform security controls across cloud workloads and on-premises environments.
Building a Future-Ready Foundation for Compliance and Visibility with Fortinet
By transitioning from a patchwork of disconnected tools to Fortinet’s unified platform, TSE has significantly improved threat visibility and operational efficiency. This consolidation reduces complexity for a small IT staff and positions the organization to meet the evolving cybersecurity requirements of professional sports leagues with confidence and agility.
“We needed a simple solution so that we could maintain and manage things in-house,” Bence adds. “When we looked at how the FortiOS crosses from the firewalls to SASE seamlessly, it was clear we would not need training on multiple different tools. The consistency of the interface across the Fortinet Security Fabric gives us a pure foundation for our future security environment as well, as MLS and NFL requirements change and other needs arise.”
Hear directly from Tepper Sports & Entertainment on how they unified security across stadiums, offices, and remote teams at the Fortinet SASE Summit.
Additional Resources
- Read the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC case studies.
- Learn about Fortinet Unified SASE.
- Read more about the Fortinet Security Fabric.
- Visit fortinet.com/trust to learn about Fortinet innovation, collaboration partners, product security processes, and enterprise-grade products.
- Read about how Fortinet customers are securing their organizations.
- Learn about Fortinet's commitment to product security and integrity, including its responsible product development and vulnerability disclosure approach and policies.
- Follow Fortinet on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe to Fortinet on our blog or YouTube.
About Fortinet
Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.
Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.
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| Travis Anderson Fortinet, Inc. 408-235-7700 pr@fortinet.com | Aaron Ovadia Fortinet, Inc. 408-235-7700 investors@fortinet.com | Brian Greenberg Fortinet, Inc. 408-235-7700 analystrelations@fortinet.com |
FAQ
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