{
  "id": 5300899,
  "title": "Spurs boots VMware, cites 85% licensing saving",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/spurs-boots-vmware-cites-85-licensing-saving",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-03T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/on-prem/2026/09/03/spurs-boots-vmware-cites-85-licensing-saving/5294139"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tottenham Hotspur, a Premier League football club, has abandoned VMware in favor of a new datacenter and network setup, resulting in savings of more than 85 percent on licensing costs. However, the club's Chief Technology Officer, Rob Pickering, emphasized that the decision was not solely driven by financial factors. Tottenham is currently in the final stages of revamping its technology infrastructure within the White Hart Lane stadium in north London, a venue capable of accommodating nearly 63,000 spectators. The stadium is equipped with an extensive network of Wi-Fi access points, Bluetooth beacons, and CCTV cameras, all connected to a complex system of network access points and IPTV screens. Pickering explained that Spurs has transitioned entirely to the HPE GreenLake portfolio, supported by OpsRamp and Morpheus (VM Essentials). HPE will manage the hybrid cloud service. The move away from VMware was primarily due to the significant savings realized, which amounted to more than 85 percent of the previous licensing expenses. The club cited Broadcom's takeover of VMware as a key reason for the migration, as the latter has discontinued certain standalone products and shifted towards pricier bundles, even if customers do not utilize all components. Broadcom has focused on its largest clients, leaving smaller ones with limited options. Pickering also highlighted the importance of integrating virtualization into a broader AI operation stack, stating that the value of such integration is paramount. He emphasized that Tottenham's technology team is relatively small, making the ability to proactively identify and rectify faults using AI operations crucial. The club's technology upgrades could prove more beneficial than their recent football performances, which have seen them lose their first two Premier League games despite a £300 million investment in new players.",
  "summary": "Part of wider infrastructure replacement upgrade project with HPE",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "Spurs boots VMware, cites 85% licensing saving",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/spurs-boots-vmware-cites-85-licensing-saving-5304117",
        "published": "2026-09-03T10:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}