Why are 95% of elite clubs currently offside in the digital security game?
Why are 95% of elite clubs currently offside in the digital security game?
European football giants are sitting on a digital goldmine of millions of followers, but most fail to turn this reach into real revenue. While leading e-commerce and banking brands use AI to build deep loyalty, football remains held back by disconnected data and a major security gap. With only 5% of clubs ready to protect these digital assets with a proper SASE strategy, the vast majority are effectively "offside" and unprepared for the risks of the digital age.
Many clubs mistake a high follower count for commercial success, but the "how" of making money is where the strategy usually stops. Today's young fans use Amazon and Netflix as their gold standard for digital experience; they expect that same level of personalization from their club. Closing this gap requires leaders to move away from old, shrinking revenue sources and embrace a fast digital mindset where every fan interaction is a chance for a sale.
Success is impossible without a strong way of working, yet 95% of elite clubs lack a solid security strategy. This weakness means even the best AI plans are built on shaky ground, leaving fan data and ticketing systems open to attacks. To join the leading 5%, clubs must stop using small, separate fixes and put security at the heart of their culture to keep the trust of their fans.
The need for clubs to change is now driven by AI, which will impact almost every business role in the next three years. Leading clubs are starting to use smart models to predict fan behavior, but many still focus on the "tool" rather than the value it creates. Success means looking at the whole fan journey and using AI to create the smooth, easy experience that young, digital fans expect today.
AI can boost your revenue, but without security, you are facing a "red card" for fan loyalty.
To stay in the game, the C-suite must take two bold steps:
Build a digital fortress: Deploy an integrated, cloud-native security platform to protect 100% of fan and AI data flows within 90 days. This stops the data breaches that cost millions in lost trust and turns a vulnerable system into a secure engine for growth.
Partner for a 2027 vision: Team up with experts for a full AI-cyber audit and ready-to-use implementation. The goal is to grow digital income by 30% while becoming a world leader in "phygital football" by 2027, proving that you can monetize fan data without the hacks.
Don't wait for a catastrophic breach to realize you were playing without a defense.