Premier League scores second place in top ten High Court claimants

The English Premier League filed the second-most legal complaints at the English High Court last year, as it sought to combat illegal streaming.

According to professional services firm RPC, the Premier League filed 36 cases in 2017 and was beaten only by music licensing company Phonographic Performance, which filed 88 cases.

The Premier League and Phonographic Performance are two of the five football and music rights owners that occupy the top ten spots. Collecting society Performing Right Society filed 19 cases, while broadcasters Sky and BT filed 12 and 11 claims respectively.

Other claimants include the National Crime Agency (with 18 claims), and Aviva Insurance and EasyGroup (both with nine).

Paul Joseph, partner at RPC, explained that protecting copyright is a top priority for rights owners.

“As the value of football broadcast rights has ballooned over the last two decades, so has the importance to rights holders of protecting their IP,” he said.

In March last year, the Premier League was granted a “live” blocking order against six UK-based internet service providers.

RPC added that the internet has upended the music industry’s business model, “making it more essential for the industry to pursue any possible source of revenue from businesses using their material”.

Ciara Cullen, partner at RPC, said: “As well as to capture lost revenue, rights holders will hope their presence in the High Court sends a strong message to deter future illegal streamers.”