The English Premier League has appointed corporate investigations and brand protection firm ID Inquiries to carry out investigations into unauthorised and illegal use of foreign satellite systems in the UK.
The company, appointed following a competitive tender process, will conduct a wider and more targeted programme of pub visits and investigations than in previous seasons of the football competition.
A Premier League spokesman said: “We look forward to working with ID Inquiries as we significantly up our enforcement activity in this area with more planned investigations than ever before. We remind all publicans that Sky Sports and BT Sport are the only authorised broadcasters of live Premier League matches in the UK and that legal action will be taken against those who use unauthorised satellite systems to show Premier League matches in commercial premises.”
The move comes after the Premier League last week secured a judgment in the UK High Court requiring six internet service providers in the country to block access to illegal live streaming website First Row Sports.
The court ruled First Row Sports was breaching Premier League copyright by acting with third party streaming services to offer live footage of league games. Users access links to third party sites that offer streamed live sport from around the world – including the Premier League.
The developments come as the Premier League’s new set of domestic media rights deals take effect for the 2013-14 to 2015-16 seasons. The league has secured a 70-per-cent increase in the value of the rights, with pay-television broadcasters BSkyB and BT Vision committing a combined £3.02bn ($4.56bn/Eur3.49bn) for the live rights over the three seasons.