Major Vietnam-Based Sports Piracy Ring Busted by ACE

2024-12-24

Major Vietnam-Based Sports Piracy Ring Busted by ACE

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition dedicated to protecting creative content, has taken down a major sports piracy ring operating out of Vietnam. This takedown represents a significant victory in the fight against online piracy, particularly for live sports content.

Largest Sports Piracy Ring to Date

The piracy ring, which included websites like [invalid URL removed] and streameast.to, amassed a staggering 812 million visits over the past year, making it the largest sports piracy operation ever dismantled by ACE. These websites offered illegal streams of daily sporting events, encompassing content from all major US sports leagues and international leagues across various categories.

Targeted Audience and Impacted Businesses

The primary targets of the piracy ring were audiences in the US and Canada. By offering free access to premium content, this illegal operation significantly impacted ACE members, especially those specializing in sports broadcasting, such as beIN Sports, Canal+, and DAZN.

Industry Response to the Takedown

The takedown of this large-scale piracy ring was met with relief from rights holders and legitimate streaming services. Larissa Knapp, Executive VP and Chief Content Protection Officer for the Motion Picture Association (MPA), commented on the importance of this operation, stating:

“The shutdown of this globally notorious live sports piracy ring is a huge victory in our campaign against piracy of live sports programs. ACE’s live sports members face a unique threat when it comes to digital piracy, as live sports broadcasts lose substantial commercial value once the game ends. The takedown serves as a warning to piracy operators everywhere that ACE will identify and shut down their illegal operations.”

Ed McCarthy, CEO of UK-based sports streaming platform DAZN, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the negative impact of piracy on the sports ecosystem:

“DAZN stands with ACE in the fight to eradicate piracy, which undermines the sports ecosystem at all levels. It is very pleasing that a criminal operation of this scale was taken down. Piracy often compromises the security of fans’ data, which is then used for illegal purposes. The closure of this piracy ring has the added benefit that potential subscribers will be guided toward legitimate content providers like DAZN.”

What Undercode Says: Analysis of the Takedown

The takedown of this massive sports piracy ring is a significant development in the ongoing battle against online content theft. Here’s a closer look at some key takeaways and potential implications:

Focus on Live Sports Content: This operation highlights the growing threat of piracy to live sports content. The time-sensitive nature of live broadcasts makes them especially vulnerable to illegal streaming, as their value diminishes significantly after the event concludes.
Global Reach of Piracy Rings: The Vietnam-based piracy ring catered to audiences in North America, demonstrating the international scope of these operations. This underscores the need for international cooperation and collaboration between правообладатели (pravo-obladatelya) (rights holders), law enforcement agencies, and anti-piracy organizations like ACE.
Impact on Legitimate Streaming Services: Piracy rings like this one pose a significant challenge to legitimate streaming services by offering free access to premium content. This can lead to lost revenue and hinder thegrowth of the legal streaming market. The takedown of this ring provides a boost to legitimate services like DAZN by eliminating a major competitor offering unauthorized content.
Deterrent Effect: While the takedown of this particular ring is a victory, the fight against piracy is ongoing. However, this successful operation serves as a deterrent to other piracy operators, showcasing ACE’s ability to identify and dismantle large-scale illegal streaming services.

By dismantling this major piracy ring, ACE has sent a strong message to online pirates. The organization’s commitment to protecting creative content, coupled with international cooperation, is crucial in safeguarding the sports entertainment industry and ensuring fans have access to legitimate content providers.