Connected Game Days Start Here: How Seattle Sounders FC Built a Flexible Network with Lumen

Seattle Sounders FC brings together thousands of soccer fans on matchdays. Beyond the pitch, it stands as an institution rooted in a deep sense of community and competition. Guided by a mission to create moments, enrich lives, and unify and uplift through soccer, the Sounders operate at the intersection of live sports, media, technology and fan engagement.

Behind every match, training session, broadcast and community event is a complex technology ecosystem that must perform flawlessly—often under intense, unpredictable demand.

As the organization expanded its digital ambitions and modernized its operations, the Sounders faced a critical question: How do you build a network that can scale quickly for game day without paying for peak capacity year round?

“Live sports don’t operate on a steady curve,” said Kari Escobedo, Interim CTO at Seattle Sounders FC. “We need the ability to scale when the business needs to scale—and to know the network will perform when it matters most.”

Modernizing Connectivity for Live Sports

Professional sports organizations face a unique set of technology challenges. Matchdays and media activity can drive sudden spikes in bandwidth demand, while off‑season operations require a far more measured footprint.

Historically, the Sounders relied on more traditional connectivity models, including static internet and point‑to‑point circuits that were effective for steady operations but less adaptable to the realities of live sports. Scaling capacity required advance planning, manual coordination or workarounds that shifted critical work to nights and weekends.

These constraints introduced operational friction and risk. Media teams needed faster ways to ingest and distribute content. Cloud migrations and data transfers were slowed by fixed bandwidth ceilings. And on game day, when performance and visibility are non‑negotiable, the margin for error was slim.

As the organization expanded across headquarters, practice facilities and match environments—and accelerated its use of cloud platforms, analytics and digital media—the need for a more flexible connectivity model became clear.

Building a Flexible Network with Lumen

Seattle Sounders FC partnered with Lumen to evolve its network strategy toward a Network‑as‑a‑Service (NaaS) model designed for live performance and adaptability.

With Lumen® Network-as-a-Service, the Sounders can flexibly scale bandwidth across multiple facilities based on real‑time needs. A 10‑gigabit NaaS port, supported by multiple 1‑gigabit ports, allows the organization to increase or decrease capacity as demands shift throughout the season without permanently over‑provisioning the network.

Equally important, the model puts control directly in the hands of the Sounders’ technology team. Self‑service bandwidth adjustments can be made in minutes, enabling rapid response to unplanned events such as sudden media demands or large data transfers.

“Having that level of flexibility changes how we operate,” Escobedo said. “We’re no longer planning around technology limitations—the network adapts to the business instead of the other way around.”

This evolution builds on a long‑standing partnership with Lumen, one that has grown alongside the Sounders as both their operations and digital ambitions continue to expand.

Game Day Confidence and Measurable Impact

The shift to Network‑as‑a‑Service delivered immediate operational benefits. Large cloud migrations that once required extended timelines and off‑hours work were completed significantly faster by temporarily scaling bandwidth—without taking offices offline.

On match days, the network supports near real‑time content creation and distribution. Broadcast production and social engagement teams rely on scalable connectivity to upload and process high‑resolution media. Meanwhile, performance and analytics teams depend on the network to ingest data from video, wearables and cloud platforms that inform coaching and player development.

Just as critical, the new model reduces operational and reputational risk. When live events, fans and media are involved, network performance is a business imperative.

Financially, the Sounders benefit from alignment between cost and usage. Instead of paying for peak capacity year round, they scale up when demand is highest and scale back when it subsides, gaining more flexibility without unnecessary expense.

Built for the Future of Sports Operations

With a flexible, software‑defined network foundation in place, Seattle Sounders FC is well positioned to support evolving digital initiatives—from advanced analytics and cloud‑based platforms to new fan engagement experiences and media innovations.

As professional sports continue to blend live performance, digital storytelling and data‑driven decision‑making, the network will remain a critical enabler. Together, the Sounders and Lumen have built a foundation that delivers confidence on game day while creating space for innovation beyond it.

The result is a network that powers the moments that matter, so the organization can stay focused on what it does best: creating unforgettable moments and bringing communities together through the game.

To learn more about Seattle Sounders FC’s transformation, read the full customer success story.

Visit our customer story library to learn how organizations in virtually every industry are achieving their business objectives.

Current Lumen customer compensated for their endorsement.

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