Sky has raised concerns over Amazon’s lack of action in tackling illegal sports streaming, claiming that Fire TV Sticks are a major contributor to piracy in the UK. Estimates suggest that these devices are indirectly responsible for nearly half of all illegal Premier League football streams in the region. Nick Herm, Sky’s Chief Operating Officer, addressed the issue at the Financial Times Business of Football Conference, highlighting the financial damage caused by piracy.
Nick Herm, Chief Operating Officer, Sky, said, “This is costing the industry hundreds of millions of dollars. If you speak to friends and colleagues, [or] you watch football, people will know that you can get jail-broken Fire Sticks, and you can access pirated services on Fire Sticks. With some of the tech giants, Amazon in particular, we do not get enough engagement to address some of those problems, where people are buying these devices in bulk.”
Furthermore, he pointed out how jailbroken Fire Sticks devices modified to run unauthorized apps are widely used to access pirated content. Until recently, Amazon held broadcasting rights for the Premier League, airing its final matches over Christmas. However, the company continues to stream Champions League games in the UK. Sky and the Premier League frequently collaborate with anti-piracy organisation FACT, which has conducted multiple investigations into Fire Stick piracy over the past year. In one recent case, a Halifax man was sentenced to two years in prison for selling modified Fire Sticks that enabled illegal streaming.
Amazon addressed the allegations in a statement to the Financial Times, said, “We are committed to providing customers with a high-quality streaming experience while actively promoting a streaming landscape that respects intellectual property rights and encourages the responsible consumption of content.”
Additionally, Herm emphasized the widespread nature of the issue, revealing that some football fans even wear shirts referencing Fire Sticks as a way to access illegal streams. This ongoing dispute highlights the growing challenge of digital piracy in the sports industry, as broadcasters and rights holders push for stricter enforcement measures against unauthorized streaming.