Streameast, a well-known platform for illegal live streaming of soccer and other sports, has been closed down following over 1.6 billion visits in the last year, as per an antipiracy coalition’s announcement on Wednesday. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), based in the United States, revealed that the shutdown was carried out in partnership with Egyptian authorities. ACE labeled Streameast, along with its 80 associated domains, as the biggest unlawful live-sports streaming network globally.
ACE’s chairman, Charles Rivkin, who also serves as the Motion Picture Association’s chairman and CEO, expressed satisfaction with the closure, stating that it was a significant achievement for sports leagues, entertainment firms, and fans worldwide. Streameast had been offering unauthorized access to matches from Europe’s top soccer leagues.
The prevalence of soccer piracy has surged in the past two decades due to leagues selling their matches to costly pay-per-view and streaming platforms. Many leagues have multiple broadcasters, necessitating fans to subscribe to multiple services. Ed McCarthy, the chief operating officer of the DAZN streaming group, hailed the dismantling of Streameast as a triumph for the entire live sports ecosystem, emphasizing that the illegal operation had been undermining the value of sports and jeopardizing fans globally. McCarthy applauded the Egyptian authorities and ACE for their decisive action.
Streameast not only provided access to soccer matches but also sport-specific piracy websites for major American leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. ACE reported that traffic to the various Streameast domains primarily originated from countries like the U.S., Canada, Britain, the Philippines, and Germany. Currently, all Streameast sites redirect users to the ACE “Watch Legally” page.