Feds strike again

[bbgun]

U.S. shuts 16 sports piracy websites pre-Super Bowl

(Reuters) - Three days before Super Bowl XLVI, U.S. prosecutors said they seized 16 websites that illegally streamed live sports and pay-per-view events over the Internet, and charged a Michigan man with running nine of those websites.

According to the government, the 16 websites provided links to give viewers easy access to other sites that hosted pirated telecasts from the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc ("WWE") and TNA Impact Wrestling. The latter is also broadcast on Viacom Inc's Spike TV.

Prosecutors said such piracy costs leagues and broadcasters millions of dollars a year, and some of this cost is passed on to ticket buyers and sports network subscribers.

"These websites and their operators deprive sports leagues and networks of legitimate revenue" in what amounts to "virtual thievery," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan, who announced the website seizures.

The websites are firstrow.tv, firstrowsports.com, firstrowsports.net, firstrowsports.tv, hq-streams.tv, robplay.tv, soccertvlive.net, sports95.com, sports95.net, sports95.org, sportswwe.net, sportswwe.tv, sportswwe.com, xonesports.tv, youwwe.com and youwwe.net.

http://news.yahoo.com/sports-piracy-websites-seized-pre-super-bowl-181636534--nfl.html

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Those are some of my favorite sights.

 

[JustDezIt]

Those are some of my favorite sights.

hard to believe they dont have better things to do than this.

 

[Hoofbite]

Damn, I used firstrow quite a bit.

 

[bbgun]

Damn, I used firstrow quite a bit.

http://www.firstrowsports.eu/

this version is still in operation

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

hard to believe they dont have better things to do than this.

I know.

http://www.firstrowsports.eu/

this version is still in operation

That's because the feds can't do squat about something in Europe. It's a pity they're not doing better things. I mean, these are guys we need on the front line of more pressing things, I think. Once again--too much government.

 

[Kangaroo]

U.S. shuts 16 sports piracy websites pre-Super Bowl

(Reuters) - Three days before Super Bowl XLVI, U.S. prosecutors said they seized 16 websites that illegally streamed live sports and pay-per-view events over the Internet, and charged a Michigan man with running nine of those websites.

According to the government, the 16 websites provided links to give viewers easy access to other sites that hosted pirated telecasts from the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc ("WWE") and TNA Impact Wrestling. The latter is also broadcast on Viacom Inc's Spike TV.

Prosecutors said such piracy costs leagues and broadcasters millions of dollars a year, and some of this cost is passed on to ticket buyers and sports network subscribers.

"These websites and their operators deprive sports leagues and networks of legitimate revenue" in what amounts to "virtual thievery," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan, who announced the website seizures.

The websites are firstrow.tv, firstrowsports.com, firstrowsports.net, firstrowsports.tv, hq-streams.tv, robplay.tv, soccertvlive.net, sports95.com, sports95.net, sports95.org, sportswwe.net, sportswwe.tv, sportswwe.com, xonesports.tv, youwwe.com and youwwe.net.

http://news.yahoo.com/sports-piracy-websites-seized-pre-super-bowl-181636534--nfl.html

How is that I end up watching all those stupid commercials I never see and I do not own Direct TV and would not get NFL Sunday package if I did way to expensive.

 

[Hoofbite]

I know.



That's because the feds can't do squat about something in Europe. It's a pity they're not doing better things. I mean, these are guys we need on the front line of more pressing things, I think. Once again--too much government.

I didn't think MU was a US company?

Where there servers in the US?

 

[JonJon]

"Oh noes! Some guy is on the internet watching something for free that someone else in another part of the country is also watching for free on TV! He must be stopped!"

 

[bbgun]

I didn't think MU was a US company?

Where there servers in the US?

MU was based in Hong Kong, but they did have servers in Virginia.

Makes me wonder why we need SOPA if the Feds can just unilaterally snuff websites.

 

[Duane]

I wonder how long until you have most people switching to Swedish servers and .se domains?

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

MU was based in Hong Kong, but they did have servers in Virginia.

Makes me wonder why we need SOPA if the Feds can just unilaterally snuff websites.

Apparently we don't.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I wonder how long until you have most people switching to Swedish servers and .se domains?

And then the administration will unilaterally do a China move and block .se sites. It's coming.

Oh and this isn't partisan by the way. Both sides would like to wield that power.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

And then the administration will unilaterally do a China move and block .se sites. It's coming.

Oh and this isn't partisan by the way. Both sides would like to wield that power.

Yes. This is both sides beginning to take control. We make a move forward, they stomp on our feet and push us back. Out of control government--both "sides".

 

[Hoofbite]

And then the administration will unilaterally do a China move and block .se sites. It's coming.

Oh and this isn't partisan by the way. Both sides would like to wield that power.

I don't think that will happen.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I don't think that will happen.

Why? I didn't think a few years ago they would just seize websites without due process either.

 

[Hoofbite]

Why? I didn't think a few years ago they would just seize websites without due process either.

You think they will block millions of web pages to undermine the criminal activity of a few?

 

[Cajuncowboy]

You think they will block millions of web pages to undermine the criminal activity of a few?

I put nothing past them. There was no due process in the other seizures so why not?

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Why? I didn't think a few years ago they would just seize websites without due process either.

Due process is an illusion.

 

[Staggerlee]

Prosecutors said such piracy costs leagues and broadcasters millions of dollars a year, and some of this cost is passed on to ticket buyers and sports network subscribers.

That is BS. The reason they say things like this is to try to gain support for what they're doing. These companies would charge the exact same amount even if they had all the freeloaders' money who watch online for free. Why? Because they can. No company like that is interested in doing anything other than screwing people out of as much money as they possibly can. If they magically got all those people to subscribe I bet their rates wouldn't go down a bit.