SPAIN: 1,000+ BARS CONVICTED OF FOOTBALL PIRACY

La Liga, the Spanish sports association, reports that it has obtained more than a thousand convictions against hotels, bars and restaurants that have engaged in football piracy.

This figure, which translates to a favourable ruling every two days, is attributed to a change in strategy that La Liga implemented in January 2019, when it began to report offenders suspected of committing piracy, via criminal proceedings, as a means of combating a problem that results in annual losses of around €600 million for Spanish football clubs.

An estimated 170,000 establishments in Spain are potential subscribers to football, of which approximately 50,000 were subscribed to La Liga’s HORECA channel in the 2023/24 season.

This season La Liga investigators were able to identify at least 15,000 establishments using illegal broadcasts, committing not only an offence against the intellectual property of the Clubs, but also engaging in unfair competition against establishments that do comply with the law. The damaging effect is therefore double: against football and against the hotel and catering sector in Spain, resulting in losses of almost €35 million a year.

Regarding penalties, convicted offenders pay an average of around €1,000 between a fine and the payment of civil liability. Continuing to engage in the offence would entail progressively higher penalties due to repeat offences and having a criminal record.

The number of convictions will continue to increase, given there are currently 295 cases already in the pre-trial phase, and a further 133 pending trial, with 86 per cent of the cases that go to trial end in a conviction.

Last season alone (2023/24), legal proceedings were brought directly against 738 other public establishments without the need to file a police report, thanks to the investigative work carried out by La Liga inspectors who documented occurrences of piracy in person. La Liga’s activity goes beyond Spain’s borders as it has filed more than 20 legal claims in the Principality of Andorra as well.

Legal action is essential. La Liga says it has the equipment, technology and expertise to tackle this problem, but legal tools are needed to block content quickly and swiftly during matches, rather than after the live event is over.

Source: advanced-television.com