SCOTTISH football has taken court action against three pubs to stop the unauthorised live streaming of matches.
The Scottish Professional Football League has taken action by working with Sky, to increase anti-piracy work to prevent illicit broadcasts being shown in pubs and other licensed premises.
Now the governing body of the Scottish football leagues has won injunctions to stop the unauthorised broadcast of live matches at the Masons Arms in Stirling Street, Airdrie; the Strathspey Bar in Tollcross Road, Glasgow and the Lord Nelson Bar in Nelson Street, Glasgow.
The SPFL say international broadcasts and matches broadcast for residential use infringe the SPFL’s copyright if shown in pub and other licensed premises in the UK.
Sky agreed a £150 million deal with the SPFL in 2018 to become the exclusive home of the Scottish Premiership in 2018.
The five-year deal, which kicked off with the 2020/21 campaign, was to see the broadcaster show 48 games from Scottish soccer’s top flight each season. The agreement also covers the season-ending play-offs, which features teams from both the Premiership and Championship vying for a place in the top tier.
The SPFL say that licensed premises, or any other commercial premises wanting to show live cinch SPFL Premiership matches in their venue, should have a commercial subscription agreement with Sky.
It says as part of its anti-piracy programme, unauthorised SPFL matches being shown in commercial premises are detected and, "where appropriate, legal action is taken against the licensees of those premises". The SPFL said: "This action is taken to protect the investment of those that show legitimate broadcasts of cinch SPFL matches and other sport content."
"Through its anti-piracy work in association with Sky the SPFL is committed to protecting the investment of those that show legitimate broadcasts of matches and the SPFL’s intellectual property rights. "
During the 2021/22 season, the SPFL won a total of 14 temporary injunctions (interim interdicts) against licensees preventing them from showing unauthorised broadcasts.
They said the actions were taken because they did not have the necessary Sky subscription.
The SPFL have also sought and was awarded three permanent injunctions (interdicts) against three pubs "preventing them from infringing SPFL’s copyright and, in particular, from showing live broadcasts of cinch SPFL Premiership matches without an agreement with Sky". The SPFL said the licensees must also pay the SPFL’s legal costs and fund the publication of notices advertising the orders in local press. Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPFL, said: “These interdicts clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of our nationwide detection and enforcement campaign.
"The SPFL is one of the most exciting leagues in the world and is hugely popular in pubs, bars and hotels all over the country.
“However, showing matches without paying the necessary licence fee is freeloading, pure and simple and we will continue to be vigilant so we can protect the interests of our clubs and all the licensees who do the right thing and subscribe with Sky Sports to show cinch SPFL games in the season ahead.”
The pubs have been contacted for comment.
Last month, an operation involving police and TV network Sky has seen a “prolific source” of illegal content streaming shut down.
Officers executed a search warrant at a property in Millennium Court in Glasgow and seized a number of items in relation to copyright crime.
Sky Sports had previously shared Premiership rights with pay-TV rival BT Sport in a combined deal for 60 games each season worth an annual £21 million.
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