NFL, NBA, UFC Call for Crackdown on Illegal Streaming
By Movieguide® Contributor
The NFL, NBA and UFC have collaborated on a letter to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to ask the government to take action against those who stream games illegally.
“The sports organizations want to update the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to let online service providers (OSPs) act more quickly to take down illegal streams, as current standards often don’t result in takedowns until after the event is completed. The DMCA was signed into law in 1998 by the Clinton administration before widespread live streaming existed on the internet,” Front Office Sports reported.
Part of the letter reads, “In sum, UFC’s, NBAP’s and NFLP’s respective content attracts millions of viewers who pay for that content or otherwise access it lawfully through the many safe and secure offerings available to them, including pay-per-view, subscription channels, streaming networks, free over-the-air broadcasts, and digital media and mobile offerings.”
“Unfortunately, UFC, NBAP and NFLP’s shared experience is that many OSPs frequently take hours or even days to remove content in response to takedown notices—thus allowing infringing live content to remain online during the most anticipated moments, or even the entirety, of a UFC event or an NBA or NFL game,” the letter continues.
“The NFL, NBA and UFC believe illegal streaming is threatening their most important revenue stream and is costing the sports industry as a whole up to US$28 billion a year,” Sports Pro Media wrote. “Technological and legal solutions to piracy will help sport combat the pirates, but equally important is affordability and convenience. In effect, legal services must be ‘better than free.’”
“The DMCA states that online service providers should move ‘expeditiously’ to process takedown notices. The sports organizations want this language changed to ‘instantaneously or near-instantaneously’ to expect quicker takedown action,” Front Office Sports continued.
“It should be no surprise that the notice-and-takedown regime established by the DMCA, which was enacted before widespread internet-based live streaming became available, is not well-suited to address the present-day particular piracy issues surrounding the infringement of live content,” the letter stated.
“We hope that this submission assists the USPTO in evaluating the current piracy landscape and in understanding the unique harms that piracy poses with respect to live content,” the letter concluded. “UFC, NBAP and NFLP would be happy to provide additional information or to work with the USPTO on developing solutions to this issue.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
