Copyright theft
Illegal Premier League broadcasters: Bolton pub pays £16k
As the season gets into full swing, the Premier League has recovered damage from early offenders. The highest was a Bolton pub paying £16,937.
Costs paid by 13 pubs to the Premier League totalled £82,388, while two suppliers have been jailed.
Masking technology
Five of the pubs were caught using new masking technology - rogue suppliers often falsely tell licensees blurring club and Premier League logos reduces the likelihood of legal action.
The Premier League says this season will see more action about copyright theft than ever before.
The latest comes only a month after two major suppliers of unauthorised systems – working for a company called Digicams – were each jailed for three and a half years.
The Premier League has written to pubs near to each of its club grounds to warn of the risks of using unauthorised foreign systems.
The letters, written by the League’s executive chairman Richard Scudamore, were sent to pubs across the country in the early weeks of the season.
They make clear that the league recognises the important role the pub industry plays in making the sport available to fans, but warn of the risks of making illegal broadcasts of Premier League football.
Top offenders
The top 13 offenders for this season are listed below.
The Barnstormers, Bolton – agreed to pay costs of £16,937
The Whickham House, Gateshead – ordered to pay costs of £7,265
The Old Frizzle Pub, London SW19 – agreed to pay costs of £6,411
The Ranelagh Arms, Wellingborough – ordered to pay £6,383
The Aberdale Pub, Leicester – ordered to pay costs of £5,438
The White Lion Public House, Grantham – ordered to pay costs of £5,307
Grand Central, Paignton – agreed to pay costs of £5,200
Stadium Pub, Liverpool – ordered to pay costs of £5,168
Kings Arms, Middlesex – agreed to pay costs of £5,015
The Fox and Goose, Birmingham – agreed to pay costs of £5,000
The Pilot, Hull – agreed to pay costs of £5,000
The Alpha Arms, Slough – ordered to pay costs of £4,723
The Clapham North, London, SW9 – agreed to pay costs of £4,541
