Soccer Match Gets 16 Million Illegal Views After TV Channel Won't Show It for Free
Arsenal's Champions League final attracted huge numbers of illegal viewers when TNT Sports refused to broadcast it free-to-air.
Arsenal's soccer match against Paris Saint Germain got more than 16 million illegal views in the UK. The Champions League final was not shown for free on regular TV channels. Instead, people had to pay to watch it on TNT Sports or HBO Max. Many fans decided to watch illegal streams online instead of paying for the game.
Technology experts tracked the illegal viewing numbers for a newspaper called the Guardian. They found that 16.2 million illegal stream views lasted longer than 90 seconds. These views came from 3.7 million different internet addresses across the UK. Meanwhile, only 7 million people watched the game legally on paid TV channels.
TNT Sports made a controversial choice not to show the final for free. This was the first time since 1992 that a Champions League final was not available on free TV. Even the UK's Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, wrote a letter asking TNT to change its mind. He wanted the game to be free for everyone to watch.
A dark nexus has existed between illegal streaming and unregulated gambling since the pandemic.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. How many illegal stream views did the Arsenal vs PSG match get in the UK?
2. What year was the last time a Champions League final was available on free TV before this match?
3. How many people watched the match legally on paid TV channels?