EPL, envoy take aim at illegal streaming

The English Premier League has launched an anti-piracy campaign in Thailand as the new football season kicks off.
The EPL, in collaboration with the British Embassy in Thailand, is running its Boot Out Piracy campaign for the second consecutive year.
Thailand and Indonesia are the two countries in Southeast Asia to host the initiative, which aims to protect the intellectual property of Premier League live broadcasts and promote legal viewing.
Key stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies and other authorities, participated in discussions on the matter, and a special reception was held recently in Bangkok.
The event sought to raise awareness about the negative impact of piracy on the sports industry and reinforce efforts to safeguard exclusive broadcasting rights for Premier League matches in Thailand held by cable TV provider True Visions.
With an estimated 38.7 million Thais watching EPL matches through legal channels, the country remains one of the league’s most passionate fan bases.
However, many fans still reportedly watch games via illegal streaming platforms.
At the special reception, Catherine West, British Minister for the Indo-Pacific, addressed the importance of combating illegal streaming in Thailand.
“Thailand has some of the most passionate football fans in the world. It doesn’t take long walking around Bangkok to notice that — just jump into any taxi, and within five minutes, you’ll be discussing which team will win the Premier League this year,” she said.
However, she expressed concern about the widespread use of illegal streaming, noting the associated risks for fans and explaining that illegal streaming sites expose them to dangers such as malware, scams, viruses, and illegal gambling.
“A recent study revealed that 90% of ads on pirate websites contain high-risk content,” she warned.
In response, the Premier League has increased its collaboration with Thai authorities to combat piracy, with Ms West acknowledging that while progress has been made, challenges remain.
“Pirates don’t stand still. It’s vital that the conversations [against piracy] we have here continue over the coming days and months,” she said.
She urged Thai football fans to support the EPL through legal means. “We want fans in Thailand to watch the Premier League in the best quality and the safest way, and that is through a subscription to official services,” she added.
Sean Godfrey, head of legal at the Premier League, emphasised the benefits of legal viewing.
“There’s a lot of revenue that could be generated and reinvested into grassroots football if fans watch the game the right way,” he said.
Legal viewing, Mr Godfrey noted, ensures funds can be directed back into community development and youth programmes, helping to nurture the next generation of football talent.
“We all want our big sports stars and teams to succeed, and a key way to support them is by watching games legally,” he added.
“Let’s pledge always to watch the games in the right way so that more money can go back to grassroots football as well as to the heroes who make our weekends special.”