July 4 – Nearly half of Premier League fans have at some stage streamed a top-flight game online through an unauthorised provider, according to a survey conducted by the BBC.
And over a third admitted doing so at least once a month.
The Premier League has been at pains to protect its lucrative TV deal after Sky and BT Sport paid a record £5.136 billion for rights to show live matches for three seasons.
But being a fan of top-flight football in the UK doesn’t come cheap, with ticket prices frequently the target of complaints from average earners who resort to watching their team either in pubs using overseas satellite dishes or at home via online streaming.
According to the results of the BBC survey carried out in March among 1,000 fans, 36% of supporters stream Premier League matches online illegally at least once every month.
And when fans were asked whether they had ever watched a match through an unofficial provider, almost half (47%) admitted to having done so, a worrying statistic for clubs and Premier League bosses keen to keep the TV broadcast rights fees paid high.
The BBC survey suggests younger fans, not surprisingly, are most prone to watching games online whilst almost a quarter of those surveyed said the TV packages on offer simply don’t represent value for money.
A Premier League spokesman said: “Fans should know that these pre-loaded boxes enable pirate broadcasts of Premier League football, and other popular content, and are illegal. People who supply them have been jailed or ordered to pay significant financial penalties. We are increasingly seeing prominent apps and add-ons being closed down as the law catches up with them, leading to consumers being out of pocket.
“The Premier League will continue to protect its copyright, and the legitimate investment made by its broadcasting partners. Their contribution allows our clubs to develop and acquire players, invest in facilities and support the wider football pyramid and communities – all things that fans enjoy and society benefits from.”
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