Game-day defense: Next-gen threat protection for sporting events

Big league sports inspire passion and pride — from the electrifying atmosphere of game day to the galvanizing community fostered among fans. They are arguably both a cornerstone of culture and an economic force to be reckoned with. Safeguarding national and international sporting events is essential for public safety and confers economic benefit on all involved. In the United States alone, upwards of $52 billion is spent annually by sports travelers, contributing to local businesses with direct spending, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and providing billions in tax revenues. 

Top sporting leagues are increasingly using a combination of measures, including threat intelligence tools, to prevent major security incidents. Also known as open-source intelligence (OSINT), the insight from these tools is used in concert with other efforts to ensure the security of venues, players, and fans on game days, such as the championship football game played annually between the winners of the American and National Football Conferences, referred to as “the Big Game.”

Per the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 77% of Americans tuned in to “the Big Game” in February 2024. The national event has transcended the realm of sports with its eclectic high-energy entertainment consisting of iconic halftime shows, elaborate commercials, and extravagant tailgating, making it a key event for brand sponsorship.

Holistic threat awareness: A proactive, data-driven approach

High-profile sporting events are increasingly being targeted by those seeking to cause disruption or harm. One recent example is the 2024 Paris Olympics, which faced more than 140 cyberattacks that were thwarted due to the French authorities’ able management. 

Protecting sports franchises, team members, fans and venues is complex due to the diverse range of potential threats. These include physical assaults, cyberstalking, doxing, credential theft, impersonation, extortion and reputation damage. Online threats originate from social media platforms, message boards, and even the dark web, making comprehensive security measures essential. 

According to the Hetherington Group, “Just as in other industries, the threats to security in the sports sector are now technologically sophisticated and methodical. Often, bad actors leave abundant evidence of their harmful intent over many weeks, months, even years via social media, chat rooms, and the dark web. They activate misinformation campaigns, obtain personal identifiable information (PII) about athletes, referees, and team executives and dox their residential addresses, the schools and colleges the sports figures’ children attend, and the work addresses of spouses, using information obtained from public databases.”

Sports event organizers and venue operators have come to understand the critical importance of proactive, thorough monitoring and access to detailed, real-time data to inform and support best-in-class security operations. Threat intelligence, which involves the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information from publicly available information (PAI) to support decision-making, now plays a vital role in risk mitigation.

Meanwhile, the automation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) platforms makes it possible to process vast amounts of data, resulting in a distillation of relevant information and signals that can be reviewed by decisionmakers who can apply the real-world expertise, contextual understanding, and critical thinking necessary to make informed decisions that quickly transform data into action. 

Securing the biggest games

Sports leagues must gain a broad understanding of threat actors, their potential actions, and the context in which they are acting as well as what motivates them. OSINT provides the valuable insights needed to gain a proper understanding of possible threats, such as planned attacks, protests, or disturbances. It can also assist in managing and protecting brand and player reputations.

Key capabilities include:

1. Threat monitoring: Organizations can leverage open-source threat intelligence solutions to monitor known bad actors and track keyword-based threats tied to sporting events. This proactive approach enables security teams to identify potential risks early and implement preventive measures before incidents arise.
2. Mapping threat actors in advance: Venue security teams can enhance their understanding of threat groups and individuals targeting sporting events by having pre-collected data readily available in response to major events and breaking news. This should involve mapping social media networks to identify potential threat actors and relevant topics. By mapping the threat landscape in advance, security teams can develop more informed, comprehensive monitoring and mitigation strategies.
3. Real-time threat detection: Modern threat intelligence solutions can quickly identify and assess online discussions, social media posts, and other open-source indicators, and provide alerts around emerging threats to the event, players, management, or attendees.
4. Easy, seamless integration: OSINT solutions seamlessly integrate with existing venue security systems and workflows, often via API, enabling security teams to incorporate threat intelligence into established processes and protocols. Working with law enforcement and federal agencies, this collaboration enhances overall security efforts, ensuring better protection for sports fans, players, and VIPs.

Threat intelligence solutions should be part of every high-level sporting event playbook for threat protection. With the Big Game fast approaching, key stakeholders will be on high alert, with holistic game-day threat protection measures in place. Leveraging these tools as part of a broad security strategy is essential for monitoring, assessing, and mitigating risks, and informing security teams to make the right calls, play by play.