The Premier League has launched the second phase of its anti-piracy campaign in Malaysia. The ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign will continue to highlight the dangers that illegal streams pose to fans, from data theft to malicious malware, as well as emphasising the poor viewing experience through broken links and delays.
Launching today, 16 December, the campaign will feature images of fan favourites such as Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min and Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, as the Premier League urges consumers to “Go for the Best” and “Bring on the Best Quality” when watching games. The anti-piracy message is set to be displayed across digital platforms in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
The Premier League is committed to tackling piracy and continues to work closely with its official broadcast partner Astro to educate consumers on the dangers they face when watching illegal streams. The two organisations also work together to take significant actions against the operators illegally supplying the streams as well as blocking the websites.
The Premier League, operating from its Singapore-based office, has worked with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) in Malaysia and Astro to successfully block access to 38 of the most popular websites offering illegal access to Premier League content. Following these blocking actions, analysis conducted using SimilarWeb* estimated a 66 per cent decrease in visitor traffic to Malaysia’s top 50 pirate websites for Premier League content between the start of last season and October 2020.
Across the Southeast Asia region, the Premier League has also been targeting those responsible for operating illegal streams and bringing them to justice through the courts. In addition to successfully blocking multitudes of illegal sites and apps across the region, this also includes criminal actions against the suppliers of illicit streaming devices, which not only provide poor quality content but also create opportunities for cybercriminals to target Premier League fans.
Premier League Director of Legal Services Kevin Plumb said: “This campaign is an important part of our education to fans. Working with Astro we will continue to fight piracy with legal action and blocking illegal streams. However, we want to ensure supporters really understand that piracy is not only illegal but also brings with it many risks.
“Illegal streaming also means missing out on watching high-definition games in real-time with expert commentary and insights from players and managers. We want fans to enjoy the best Premier League viewing experience possible via official broadcast channels, not via broken and delayed illegal sources which also bring with them a great risk of malicious malware and ransomware.”
CK Lee, Head of Sports at Astro, said: “With the 2020/21 season now in full swing and spectators returning to the stadiums, fans in Malaysia can be part of the excitement on Astro, where they get the most comprehensive coverage and high-quality football viewing experience. Watch all remaining matches of the season live in HD and streaming on Astro GO; with selected matches in 4K UHD with our Ultra Box and Astro Broadband. There’s also 500 hours of supporting programmes like Fanzone, The Kelly & Wrighty Show, Premier League Today, classic matches, pre-match shows, post-match discussions and match highlights on TV and our digital platforms.”
With tens of millions of football fans in Malaysia, the Premier League is a member of Asia’s Coalition Against Piracy and continues to collaborate with industry organisations to tackle the new challenges faced by broadcasters in wider region.
The campaign was developed with creative agency DDB Worldwide.
