Authorities urged to crack down on illegal Saturday matches
Stronger action should be taken against publicans who illegally broadcast live football matches using foreign satellite decoders, say licensees.
Many pubs are losing business to houses that show live football matches illegally during the closed period between 2.45pm to 5.15pm on a Saturday.
The FA Premier League does not allow live matches to be shown in the UK in order to keep up attendances at the grounds. But many licensees have received letters from satellite providers offering them the matches.
The letters argue the practice is legal, despite the fact that a licensee, William Clark of Ryans Bar in Radlett, Hertfordshire, was fined £2,000 earlier this month for showing the matches illegally.
Alison MacKay, licensee of the Grey Mare in Bolton, Lancashire, said she has to put up with her competitors showing football on a Saturday and has lost business as a result. She said: "I pay my Sky subscription but every Saturday at 3pm all my customers leave and go up the road to watch a Premiership match. I am constantly told it is illegal but nothing seems to happen. The letters from satellite providers still come through every month."
Danny Scott, licensee of Rick's in Greenwich, London, said: "I think publicans have been looking for a leg up because of the high Sky prices. However, they were sold a red herring here. There has been a lot of confusion as to whether using foreign satellite systems is legal or not."
The latest letter posted to licensees is from Digital Sales in Coppull, Lancashire. In the letter Digital Sales says that pub operators are not attempting to avoid paying to show the games and therefore cannot be in contravention of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Joe Ibrahim, manager of Digital Sales, strenuously denied the accusation that his company was behaving illegally. He said: "There is no breach of copyright here as far as we are concerned. Why has nobody taken us to court if we are breaking the law?"
However, Ray Hoskin from the Federation Against Copyright Theft, which is working with the FA, said: "Watch this space. We have been collating a lot of evidence and don't rush into prosecuting people.
"These letters are commonplace. Companies have been citing a European Union law in previous letters. This latest one quotes legislation from the Copyright Act but it misquotes the law and should not be trusted."
The legal situation
It is illegal for licensees to use foreign decoders to broadcast any matches under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998.
Sky is currently the only channel that has the rights to show live Premiership football.
Related articles:
Licensee fined for illegally screening football (23 October 2003)
