This week, StreamEast—previously the biggest illegal sports streaming hub in the world—suffered an enormous defeat. One of the world’s most influential anti-piracy organizations has forced it to shut down for good. This move comes just days before the opening game of the NFL season. Unexpectedly, it marks a historic victory in the global fight against digital piracy.
StreamEast earned a notoriety for providing millions of users access to illegal streams. That covered massive TV events such as Premier League football matches, Formula One races and Major League Baseball games. StreamEast’s global operations had drawn a rising outcry, leading to action from law enforcement and anti-piracy groups.
The shutdown was confirmed by Charles Rivkin, chairman of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), who hailed it as a “resounding victory in its fight to detect, deter, and dismantle criminal perpetrators of digital piracy.” Rivkin emphasized the importance of this action, stating, “With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide.”
Last spring, an IP Commission report concluded that illegal sports streaming occurs on an “industrial scale.” This listeners–dangerous reality underscores the imperative for bold action. After the report went live, police began to address concerns. They had detained two in El-Sheikh Zaid, north of Cairo – on suspicion of copyright infringement linked to StreamEast. Investigators discovered links to a UAE-based shell company. This single company is believed to be responsible for laundering up to £4.9 million in UK advertising revenue since 2010.
Besides the front company, police seized £150,000 ($193,000) in criminal cryptocurrency used to facilitate StreamEast’s business. Our joint investigation revealed troubling efforts to obscure the platform’s financial practices. This surprising finding feeds into the challenges that make up digital piracy.
Ed McCarthy, chief operating officer of sports streaming platform DAZN Group, celebrated the takeover’s destruction of StreamEast. He remarked, “This criminal operation was siphoning value from sports at every level and putting fans across the world at risk.” McCarthy’s observations are indicative of a much bigger issue, felt all across the industry, about how piracy is harming more legitimate sports broadcasting.
It’s why, last year, media rights globally topped more than $60 billion (£44 billion). That’s a testament to the tremendous economic power that sports broadcasting holds. The shutdown of StreamEast is a sharp reminder to every content creator that the struggle is real. Not surprisingly, then, broadcasters have to constantly stay on their toes to defend their IP.