News UFC’s New Strategy to go after Online Pirate Streams

Mesos

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Its a long read so I cropped out/highlighted key stuff:

According to a person familiar with UFC takedown notices, UFC 264 generated among the top three or four highest notices for a UFC event held over the last year.

Piracy is an ongoing problem for the UFC and other content creators whose ability to curtail the illegal practice is limited under federal law. As Lawrence Epstein, the UFC’s chief operating officer, explained to Sportico in a phone interview, the UFC (like other creators of copyright content) rely largely on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to curtail piracy.


The DMCA is a “very reactive type of protocol,” Epstein notes, since the law places the onus on the copyright holder to act. This presents a timing problem for a live sports broadcast. The highest value for that broadcast—especially one distributed through a PPV arrangement—is when the event happens. A notice and takedown can take several minutes, even a half hour. By the time an illegal stream is removed, it could be too late. The Poirier-McGregor match lasted only about five minutes before McGregor suffered a leg injury and Poirier was credited with a TKO victory.

“It’s not an appropriate remedy,” Epstein charges, adding that the “vast majority” of the piracy is taking place on “big platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.” Epstein also stresses that “we see the same people doing it. There are repeat offenders who aren’t deterred by the process.”


The UFC would like to see the DMCA amended to include a “stay down system” whereby the copyright holder need only notify the service provider of infringing material. It would then become the obligation of the provider to monitor repeat infringers and prevent them from engaging in illegal streaming and other piracy on the provider’s platform. “These big platforms have to take responsibility for what happens on their platforms,” Epstein asserts. “It can’t be reactive.”


Reliance on the DMCA is part of a multi-pronged strategy for the UFC in combatting piracy. As an overarching principle, the UFC is mindful of the critical role video content plays for the fan experience. “We love our fans and want more fans,” Epstein stresses. “We’re not trying to stop them from showing video of Conor or other fighters.” Instead, Epstein underscores, “We are going after the pirates . . . we are trying to stop illegal profiting and reselling of copyright material.”

Education plays a key role. Epstein emphasizes that the fighters are financial partners in PPV events. “Every buy that’s stolen is hurting [McGregor] and other fighters. This is not a victimless crime or one that just hurts the big corporation—it hurts the individual athletes . . . remember they have as short window [of life] to monetize” their athletic abilities and skills.

Epstein adds that those who engage in piracy are often involved in other illegal or even criminal practices, including stealing identities of those who share personal data and selling fake products. “There’s a lot of bad stuff when you enter this ecosystem.” Vacca concurs. “Many online pirates tend to be unscrupulous individuals—there’s a risk of viruses and stealing users’ personal or financial information. “

The UFC also works closely with service providers to identify and take down illegal streams of events, and, along with UFC vendors, attempts to take advantage of the latest anti-piracy technologies. Similarly, the UFC works with colleagues at ESPN and Disney to strategize ways for updating the legal landscape and making criminal prosecution more effective. To that end, the UFC pushed for the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act of 2020, a law that makes it felony to stream copyright material (previously it was only a misdemeanor to stream and typically not prosecuted). The UFC also sometimes turns to litigation, but Epstein concedes that online piracy “is a problem that you don’t sue your way out of.”
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ufc-aims-slam-online-pirates-040100235.html

You Goofs are on Red Alert, Uncle Dana is coming for ya. Just buy the ppv ya cheap bastards lol

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Drop the ppv model and offer an affordable yearly subscription to all content. It currently costs almost $1000 a year to access all UFC content. That’s outrageous, no wonder people pirate. The best way to fight piracy is offer an affordable, reliable and legal alternative.
 
I cry for all the money Conor didn’t get because of streams
Maybe UFC need to stop charging so much for their PPVs when some of the cards are very weak, $70 for Nunes for Spencer is outrageous. I remember I brought UFC 40 for $24.95 and they had 5% off if you booked before the day of the PPV.. so 5% off 24.95 (23.70)

UFC 40 was brilliant, well worth the money and great event, the prelims were like the main cards of todays PPVs (if not better)

I pick and choose which PPVs to buy now because so many of them are watered down and not worth the price, I just can't justify paying so much for a lacking card. I now skip watching most of the PPVs, and just watch the Fight Night events and ESPN events.
 
didnt read,but im not paying for something I need to watch at night/early morning. I wakeup and torrent it,skip wmma and all the rest of the crap and move on with my day. you will never get my $ you bald mfer
 
You know what causes people to buy PPVs? Buzz.

You know what causes buzz? Lots of people interested.

You know how to maximize the number of people interested? Piracy.


The UFC is the opposite of a rival good. Increased piracy increases paying customers.
 
“It’s not an appropriate remedy,” Epstein charges, adding that the “vast majority” of the piracy is taking place on “big platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.” Epstein also stresses that “we see the same people doing it. There are repeat offenders who aren’t deterred by the process.”

As someone who scours links for events (legal or not) - most the FB/Twitter/YouTube links are bunk 99% - You do far better on Discord and (select) Forum links...

It would then become the obligation of the provider to monitor repeat infringers and prevent them from engaging in illegal streaming and other piracy on the provider’s platform. “These big platforms have to take responsibility for what happens on their platforms,” Epstein asserts. “It can’t be reactive.”

Toss in a VPN isn't this relatively worthless?
 
Maybe UFC need to stop charging so much for their PPVs when some of the cards are very weak, $70 for Nunes for Spencer is outrageous. I remember I brought UFC 40 for $24.95 and they had 5% off if you booked before the day of the PPV.. so 5% off 24.95 (23.70)
It must be pure coincidence, but one of the hallmarks of monopoly power is bullshit pricing...
 
I honestly wouldn't mind paying for a ppv at all if

1. Cards weren't so watered down and shit. There's been a few that were stacked and I did pay for those.

2. Pay the God damn fighters more. Let them get a better cut and stop being so greedy.

3. Price it reasonably. Paying 70 bucks for 3 hours entertainment is silly. Rather get a cheap hooker.
 
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