Premier League wins High Court order to block illegal streams of matches ‘by any means’
A High Court order gives broadcasters the power to shut down servers distributing unauthorised streams - instead of having to target individual websites
PREMIER League chiefs have been awarded tough new powers to crack down on illegal streaming sites this season.
A High Court order gives broadcasters the power to shut down servers distributing unauthorised streams - instead of having to target individual websites.
A previous order - branded 'game-changing' at the time - helped block over 200,000 illegal streams last season.
Huge teams of internet enforcers track the illegal streams with invisible digital watermarks embedded in the original feed, as well as maintain encyclopedic databases of popular pirate websites.
Soaring subscription prices have seen fans flock to online alternatives like Kodi boxes.
Kodi is a piece of software that pulls lots of different entertainment channels together, like Netflix and iPlayer.
What is a 'Kodi box'?
Kodi is a piece of software that pulls lots of different entertainment channels together, like Netflix and iPlayer.
This allows you to watch online services on your TV.
It can be installed on TV boxes which you connect to your telly using an HDMI cable.
The box and the software are not illegal. But it has a library which allows you to browse pirated TV, films and sports, which have been illegally obtained.
Anyone selling a box with the intention for it to be used in this way will be seen as infringing copyright.
It allows users to watch online services on your TV. It can be installed on TV boxes which you connect to your telly using an HDMI cable.
Amazon has recently acquired permission to show 20 matches as money keeps flowing into the English top flight.
And in February, Sky and BT paid a total of £4.46bn to show matches between 2019 and 2022.
BT will show 52 live games a season with Sky remaining the biggest rights holder with 128.
The deal means Prem clubs are set to break through the £5BILLION earnings barrier next season.
Deloitte’s 2016-17 figures saw England’s top-flight clubs having revenues of £4.63bn, nearly double the £2.49bn for Spain’s La Liga.
And Bloomberg claims Facebook will launch its own bid and begin in the lucrative Asian market.
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