Barrow have today joined with all 72 of the EFL’s member clubs to launch a campaign aimed at discouraging the illegal streaming of fixtures, warning that doing so will take away vital revenue.
The Bluebirds’ promotion to League Two has meant we have stepped on to the EFL Digital platform this season, introducing a brand new Official Website, along with our iFollow service.
As part of that, we have been streaming live coverage of all of our games on iFollow to allow supporters all over the world to keep in touch with the action during our first season back in the Football League.
The outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent behind-closed-doors matches mean that income generated by streaming games on iFollow is hugely important, and remains one of the only income streams available at this challenging time.
Illegal streaming, therefore, is having a greater impact on clubs whilst supporters are unable to attend matches. The EFL and its clubs could potentially lose around a third of income from illegal streaming this season.
Statistics show that over half of sports fans consume sports content from pirate services at least once a month. Over 7,000 illegal EFL streams have been detected so far this season, with an average of 170 people said to be viewing each steam, totalling 1.2million people. Barrow supporters in the UK accessing iFollow via a VPN are also accessing the stream illegally.
The EFL, working in conjunction with all clubs, takes piracy incredibly seriously, working with a specialist security agency to proactively seek out illegal streams on all formats and taking action against businesses and individuals.
Fans are therefore encouraged to report any illegal streams, or pubs which may be showing EFL content unlawfully, by emailing piracy@efl.com – all emails will be treated confidentially.
Please help us to crack down on piracy – support your club, not illegal streams.