The Premier League club, AFC Bournemouth have inked a partnership renewal with ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity.
With this renewal, the firm will remain the club’s official cybersecurity partner. The news comes as the PL season resumes and the development of the club’s new world-class training facility begins.
The Cherries have chosen ESET as their trusted cybersecurity partner due to the brand’s extensive industry experience, particularly as the IT security partner of the Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund (BVB). As the club expands its digital presence, it is critical to be mindful of the risks involved.
Furthermore, AFC Bournemouth will employ ESET’s PROTECT Elite package with Detection and Response Ultimate services for 350 equipments, which will be critical in securing players, supporters, and the club’s multi-million-pound new training. With the ESET threat intelligence experts and cutting-edge technologies at its disposal, the club will gain advantages from comprehensive 24/7 expert-led threat hunting and response.
The agreement builds on an existing five-year engagement between ESET and AFC Bournemouth, which already includes ESET as a community sports trust partner.
ESET also serves as a regional partner for AFC Bournemouth Women. Moreover, it also assists with the provision of digital matchday content for the men’s first team, as well as being the lead sponsor of live matchday streaming for non-first team fixtures played at Vitality Stadium.
Stefan du Plooy, Head of IT at AFC Bournemouth, commented, “AFC Bournemouth is at a very exciting turning point. This season is going to represent a new era for the club as years of investment pays off and we open our brand-new training ground. Working alongside expert partners like ESET to ensure these investments are kept secure is crucial, not only for the club, but our players and fans on an individual level too. We are thrilled to be strengthening our relationship with ESET by deploying its innovative technology and working alongside its team of cybersecurity experts.”
Matt Knell, UK Country Manager at ESET, said, “We have built a great rapport and trusted relationship with AFC Bournemouth over the past five years thanks to our already multi-faceted partnership. We are over the moon that this has given way to a new stage in our alliance. Defence is becoming ever-more critical off the pitch, but it will be our job to ensure the team can focus wholly on what happens on the pitch. We very much look forward to working alongside the club this coming season to make it a success all round.”