Champions League Final anti-piracy warning
May 28, 2021
By Colin Mann
Ahead of the Champions League final on May 29th, Kieron Sharp, CEO of UK intellectual property protection body FACT, has warned of the dangers to fans who opt to view the game through illegal streaming sites online.
The match has been made available for free by rightsholder BT at www.btsport.com/final, on the BT Sport YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/btsport – via the BT Sport App for small and large-screen devices, including PlayStation, Xbox, Samsung smart TVs and Amazon Fire. The finals will also be available for anyone to watch on Virgin channel 532 (HD) and 533 (UHD).
“Chelsea are taking on Manchester City in an all-English Champion’s League Final this Saturday,” notes Sharp. “Due to ongoing social distancing restrictions, the venue for the Final, the Dragao Stadium in Porto, will be operating at a third of its usual capacity for the teams’ travelling supporters. Although the game will be accessible in pubs and via legitimate free routes online, some fans will still turn to illegal streaming sites,” he suggests.
“Supporters who are unaware of the hidden dangers posed to them by football piracy could be putting themselves at risk. Three out of five people in the UK (62 per cent) are unaware that illegal streaming can lead to fraud, identity theft and malware as well as links to criminal gangs.”
“Football fans should be aware that piracy originates from sophisticated, unlawful enterprises that put money directly in the pockets of criminal gangs. This is not a grey area – viewing games through the official providers in the pub or at home is the only way to watch your team legally and avoid putting yourself and your family at risk,” he advises.