Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports' chief sports officer for the UK and Ireland, has called on Big Tech to intensify efforts in combating piracy issues that are undermining the value of live sports rights. This comes as Sky prepares to embark on a new Premier League rights cycle.
Licht highlighted that the 3pm broadcast lockout in the UK had become a significant opportunity for piracy gains. This situation poses a risk of devaluing league’s rights, similar to what happened during France’s Ligue 1 matches.
Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports' chief sports officer, said:
“I think it’s been fair to say that the [broadcast lockout of] 3pm games has been a point for piracy gains coming into this market from various places. Piracy is a very serious issue and a growing issue that has become significant. There’s a real concern that, despite the illegality and the links to organized crime, it’s being normalized in a way, and I think that is dangerous for the industry.
“It’s dangerous for rightsholders – we’ve seen the problems in France and the value there, and a lot of that’s been put down to broadcasters or new entrants saying they can’t get the right side of that [piracy]. That has been very value destructive.”
The collapse of France's top-tier Ligue 1 rights deal between international sports broadcaster DAZN and the league's governing body, LFP was partially attributed to rampant piracy. DAZN accused LFP of failing to address piracy effectively, leading it to withhold rights fees on several occasions. A report backed by LFP revealed that about 37% of viewers who watched Ligue 1 during the first few months of 2024-25 did so illegally. Consequently, despite several mediation attempts, DAZN and LFP scrapped their agreement.
New broadcasting landscape
In response to these challenges, ahead of the 2025-26 season, LFP launched a direct-to-consumer (DTC) broadcast channel – named "Ligue 1 Plus". The channel is being distributed through telecom giants Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange and SFR as well as via DAZN OTT streaming service.
To avoid similar situations in the UK market regarding its Premier League rights specifically,Licht urged tech companies and other industry stakeholders need to align themselves with anti-piracy measures more proactively. Sky Sports is gearing up for an exciting new era as it enters its first year under a new Premier League rights cycle. In 2023, Sky and TNT Sports secured four-year rights deals, running from 2025-26 to 2028-29, worth £6.4 billion ($8.45 billion) at the time.
The English Premier League (EPL) introduced several changes for broadcasters including an increase in the number of live matches per season available from 200 to 270 and extending the cycle from three seasons to four. Sky has bagged four out of five packages on offer and will air a minimum of 215 live Premier League matches per campaign. This includes Saturday evening kick-offs, Sunday games, evening fixtures on Mondays and Fridays as well as three midweek rounds.
Innovations in broadcasting
Sky’s coverage begins with Liverpool versus Brighton match later this week (August 15). The broadcaster is introducing innovations such as Multiview which allows subscribers to watch up to four live matches concurrently. It's also launching a new post-gameday show "Extra Time" hosted by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
In addition, Sky announced a new fan-driven initiative called "Fanalysis". This feature will allow fans chosen from each club to provide player ratings, manager verdicts and perspectives across the Sky Sports app.
When asked about these initiatives' focus on capturing new subscribers over retaining current ones,Licht emphasized that both were equally important for the company's future growth strategy.
