Premier League announces crackdown on illegal supply of set top boxes

By James Wallin

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Premier league

The Premier League says its partnership with Iredeto will help it target piracy
The Premier League says its partnership with Iredeto will help it target piracy
The Premier League has announced a partnership with media protection firm Idreto to investigate the supply of set-top boxes allowing pubs to illegally screen matches.

Idreto said it will add an “in-depth knowledge of the piracy landscape combined with global investigative and security expertise” to the Premier League’s fight to protect its intellectual property.

The organisation said the partnership would allow it to “pursue actions against the highly organised criminal networks that are involved in the distribution of these illegal services” around the world.

Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said: “It is only through legitimate investment in our broadcasting rights that we can put on a high quality football competition, and support and invest in all levels of English football and beyond.

“Piracy threatens that model and we are confident that our partnership with Irdeto – who have a proven track record in this area - will allow us to evolve and improve the way we guard against that threat for years to come.”

Cutting edge

Graham Kill, chief executive of Irdeto, said: “The Premier League has long been at the cutting edge of anti-piracy operations, and our new relationship will strengthen this further.

“The aim of our work together is to ensure that legal access to the Premier League remains the best way for consumers to enjoy the finest football in the world.”

Last month the PMA reported concerns by publicans at websites openly offering illegal streams of Premier League games. The Premier League said at the time: “Despite these suppliers continuing to claim their services are legal it is a fact that scores of pubs have given up these systems, and paid significant sums in costs to the Premier League as a result of using them.

“Several of the suppliers claim to provide free legal advice in case we "catch " the pubs - we have seen that even the lawyers giving that free legal advice have recommended pubs who use the systems pay the Premier League's legal costs and enter into binding obligations not to infringe the our rights in the future. The legal advice may be free but the cost of using such a system is certainly not."

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