Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen recently found himself in trouble after being spotted watching his team’s game on MethStreams, a known pirate streaming site. This incident comes as the NFL intensifies its fight against piracy, collaborating with the NBA and UFC to expedite DMCA takedowns.
Woolen, who reportedly earns over $1 million a year, drew attention when he shared an Instagram story that included the URL for the streaming site. His seemingly carefree attitude toward the situation stands in stark contrast to the league’s serious approach to combating piracy.
NFL's Stance on Piracy
The NFL has been proactive in addressing live-streaming piracy, even reaching out to the U.S. Government's Patent and Trademark Office last year for assistance. By partnering with the NBA and UFC, the league aims to implement faster and more effective takedown requests under the DMCA. According to the NFL, any delays in these requests can undermine their efforts, as live sports need to be viewed in real time.
The Challenge of Piracy
The NFL, NBA, and UFC have stressed the importance of requiring online services to swiftly remove infringing content. This need is especially critical in the age of social media, where pirate streams are often promoted. The sophistication of piracy has increased, with some streams closely resembling official broadcasts.
Pirates frequently utilize major social media platforms to draw in viewers by sharing links to unauthorized live sports coverage.
Woolen’s Casual Approach
This isn’t the first time Woolen’s relaxed attitude toward streaming has made headlines. His use of MethStreams quickly spread across social media, with NFL news aggregator Dov Kleiman noting, “Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen was using MethStreams to watch today's NFL games. He makes over $1 million a year.” Woolen responded nonchalantly, stating, “If it is free, it is alright.”
Ongoing Anti-Piracy Efforts
Ironically, while Woolen enjoyed the game, the NFL’s anti-piracy partners were hard at work attempting to shut down illegal streams. Throughout the campaign, numerous pirate sources remained accessible, even during live games, despite ongoing takedown notices. This highlights the significant challenges that persist in the fight against sports piracy.
