Sports piracy at ‘industrial scale’, report claims

A new report by Enders Analysis has sharply criticized major tech firms, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, for their “ambivalence and inertia” in tackling the “industrial scale theft” of live sport.

The research alleges that this inaction is costing broadcasters significant revenue and exposing users to increased cybercrime risks. Gareth Sutcliffe and Ollie Meir, authors of the report, specifically singled out the Amazon Fire Stick as a “piracy enabler,” arguing it is the device many people use to access illegal streams.

While Amazon responded to the BBC stating it remains “vigilant in our efforts to combat piracy” and has made changes to Fire devices, the report claims that 59% of UK individuals who watched pirated material on a physical device in the last year used an Amazon Fire product.

Sports broadcasting is a massive global industry, with media rights exceeding $60 billion last year. However, rising costs for rights deals often translate to higher prices for fans, driving some to resort to illegal streams. Enders Analysis found that high-profile football games often have multiple illegal streams, each watched by tens of thousands of people.

Nick Herm, chief operating officer of Sky Group, affirmed the report’s findings, stating it “highlights the significant scale and impact of piracy, particularly on premium live sport.” He called for “faster, more joined-up action from major tech platforms and government to address the problem.”

Beyond revenue loss for broadcasters, the report warns of substantial risks for users. Fans accessing illegal streams often provide sensitive information like credit card details and email addresses, making them vulnerable to malware and phishing scams.

The researchers also pointed to the “continued depreciation” of Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems, particularly those from Google and Microsoft. Sutcliffe and Meir argue that a lack of maintenance has left these systems “compromised across various security levels,” allowing the “theft of the highest quality content.” They concluded that “a complete overhaul of the technology architecture, licensing, and support model is needed.”