Authorities hand red card to Streameast as live sports piracy network shut down

Streameast, the Largest Pirated Live Sports Streaming Network, Shut Down After 1.6 Billion Visits

An antipiracy coalition announced on Wednesday that Streameast, a popular network for pirated live streams of soccer and other sports, has been shut down after receiving more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year. The United States-based Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) revealed that the shutdown was carried out in collaboration with Egyptian authorities.

According to ACE, Streameast, with its 80 associated domains, was the biggest illicit live-sports streaming operation in the world. ACE chairman Charles Rivkin, who is also the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, stated in the announcement, “With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide.”

The Rising Issue of Soccer Piracy

Over the last two decades, soccer piracy has seen a significant increase, with leagues opting to sell their matches to expensive pay-per-view and streaming services. This has led to a situation where fans are required to pay for multiple subscriptions as leagues often sell broadcasting rights to more than one platform.

Ed McCarthy, the chief operating officer of the DAZN streaming group, described the dismantling of Streameast as a major victory for those who invest in and depend on the live sports ecosystem. “This criminal operation was siphoning value from sports at every level and putting fans across the world at risk. We commend the Egyptian authorities and ACE for their action,” McCarthy added.

Although McCarthy did not specify the exact risks faced by fans, it is clear that unauthorized access to live sports events can have legal and financial implications.

In addition to soccer, Streameast also provided access to pirated streams of American sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Site traffic to the various domains primarily originated from countries like the U.S., Canada, Britain, the Philippines, and Germany, according to ACE.

Following the shutdown, all Streameast sites now redirect to the ACE “Watch Legally” page, emphasizing the importance of consuming sports content through legitimate channels.