There's a crackdown on sports piracy - but is it already out of control?
The sports industry's lucrative business model is being undermined by dodgy TV sticks and illegal streaming links, writes Theo Leggett.
In July 1995, The People newspaper reported that three football clubs would pay over £20 million for new players, highlighting the transformation of the sport into big business. The Premier League's creation in the early 1990s and its lucrative TV deal with Sky marked a turning point. However, the model is now facing challenges due to widespread piracy.
Around half of sports fans now use alternative means to watch paywalled content, according to a consultancy. This year's Champions League final, won by Paris Saint-Germain, sparked discussions about TV viewing rights and saw 3.7 million IP addresses access illegal streams in the UK, compared to seven million who watched legally.
Authorities have taken action, with individuals involved in illegal streaming receiving significant jail sentences. TV companies are struggling to protect their investments, and the financial impact of piracy is becoming a major concern. The Premier League's £6.7 billion four-year deal and foreign rights sales have allowed clubs to attract top talent, but piracy threatens the future of this revenue stream.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
