The English Premier League launched an advertising campaign warning UK pubs and clubs using foreign pay-television services to show league matches that they are under threat of legal action.
The campaign follows the European Court of Justice’s ruling in the league’s case against publican Karen Murphy last October, and subsequent hearings in the UK High Court this year. It takes the form of a full-page advertisement which will be published in magazines read by publicans such as trade publication the Morning Advertiser. The Premier League says in the text of advertisement:
“It is clear that the law gives us the right to prevent the unauthorised use of our copyrights in pubs and clubs when they are communicated to the public without our authority.
“We will now resume actions against publicans who are using European Economic Area foreign satellite systems to show Premier League football on their premises unlawfully without our authority.”
The campaign is being supported by UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB, the league’s primary domestic rights-holder.
The Guardian said that Sky has about 44,000 pub, club and office subscribers to its Premier League football packages.