Anti-piracy boost for South American football
January 8, 2020
By Colin Mann
CONMEBOL, the governing body of football in South America, has selected digital platform security specialist Irdeto to provide services that will protect its brand and combat piracy of live football matches.
CONMEBOL licenses to several operators and broadcasters worldwide for tournaments such as the CONMEBOL Libertadores, CONMEBOL Sudamericana, CONMEBOL Copa América and CONMEBOL Recopa, and will continue to ensure that the investment in these licences and the content is protected, with support from Irdeto Online Piracy Detection and Cyber Services.
As part of the commitment, Irdeto will monitor all matches, including the final of the Libertadores, which was seen by viewers in more than 180 countries around the world. The partnership aims to address the challenge of online redistribution piracy, which is one of the biggest threats to content owners, broadcasters and operators. Irdeto will also provide brand protection monitoring and services.
“South American football attracts a global audience who expect great games and a premium experience, and the protection of the live signal quality of our matches and our brand, is crucial to this,” said Juan Emilio Roa, Commercial Director, CONMEBOL. “Irdeto’s experience in the protection of live sports content and its ability to provide sophisticated online piracy detection technology combined with proactive services aimed at protecting our brand and taking down illegal content, makes it the perfect partner as the global interest in South American football continues to increase.”
“As one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, responsible for the organisation and governance of South American football’s major international tournaments, both the CONMEBOL brand and live football content are extremely valuable and must be protected,” said Bengt Jonsson, Senior Vice President of Sales & Services, Irdeto. “The confederation understands the importance of combining cutting edge technology with proactive services to ensure that illegal content streams are taken down quickly so substantial licence investments are not devalued and consumers are not exposed to the dangers that come from illegal content sources and illegitimate brand infringements.”