1. Collective Intelligence & Automated Defense

Threats move at “machine speed.” The primary focus is to break down the silos between different leagues (e.g., the MLS, NFL, FIFA, and Formula 1) to ensure a threat to one is a lesson for all.

– Real-time TTP Sharing: Automating the exchange of Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).  Example: if a ransomware group targets a Premier League team’s scouting database, the NBA is alerted and shielded within minutes.

– AI-Driven Threat Hunting: Utilizing shared AI models to scan for anomalies across member networks, specifically looking for “sleeper” malware that might be timed to activate during a major championship game.

2. Smart Venue & Infrastructure Resilience

As stadiums become “gigabit campuses” with 100% digital entry, the convergence of physical and cyber security is critical.

– IoT & OT Security: Monitoring and securing “Operational Technology” (OT) — the systems that control stadium lighting, HVAC, jumbo-trons, and automated turnstiles — to prevent a “dark stadium” event or crowd crush caused by system failure.

– 5G/6G Network Hardening: Ensuring the massive influx of fan mobile traffic doesn’t create “backdoors” into the venue’s internal command-and-control systems.

3. Integrity of Play & Economic Protection

The multi-billion dollar sports betting and media rights industry depends entirely on the sanctity of the data feed.

– Anti-Manipulation Protocols: Securing the “Official Data” feeds used by sportsbooks to prevent “latency hacking” or the manipulation of scores and statistics.

– Deepfake & Broadcast Defense: Detecting and neutralizing deepfake technology that could be used to manipulate multiple usecases.  Example: Manipulate “Video Assistant Referee” (VAR) footage or create fake “controversial” clips of coaches or players designed to trigger betting volatility.

4. Human Sovereignty: Athlete & Fan Data

This pillar focuses on the high-value biometric data that defines modern sports.

– Athlete Performance Data: Protecting the “digital twin” of athletes—their heart rates, sleep cycles, and medical records—which are increasingly targeted for industrial espionage or blackmail.

– Biometric Fan Privacy: Providing a unified standard for how facial recognition and palm-vein payments are used in stadiums, ensuring compliance with evolving 2026 privacy laws (like BIPA or updated GDPR).

5. Global Event “War-Gaming”

The ISAC acts as the “Central Intelligence Agency” for major event organizers.

– Transnational Coordination: Managing the unique security challenges of events hosted across multiple countries, where data-sharing laws and law enforcement protocols differ.

– Simulation & Stress Testing: Leading industry-wide “Tabletop Exercises” (TTXs) that simulate a “Perfect Storm” scenario—such as a simultaneous DDoS attack on ticketing and a physical security breach during a World Cup Final.

The International Association of Certified ISAOs (IACI)

IACI | Sports-ISAC Headquarters

IACI-CERT, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida

IACI and The SPORTS-ISAC – Formally Authorized and Recognized By:

– US DHS Cybersecurity Information Sharing Collaboration Agreement (2016)

– 2015 Presidential Executive Order 13691

Critical Infrastructure Information Sharing ISAC Communities

Members – Open Participation in ISAC Communities

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Breaking Down Long Standing Public-Private Barriers & Silos Across Critical Infrastructure

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