Up to 100 pubs are expected to face legal action from the Premier League for illegally showing football matches, it emerged today.
It comes as part of a renewed crackdown on premises flouting copyright laws, and will be the first prosecutions since Portsmouth landlady Karen Murphy won her legal battle against the Premier League in 2011.
Sport cannot be copyrighted and Mrs Murphy’s victory effectively proved that it is legal to buy a television subscription from anywhere in the EU to show matches.
But the Premier League said broadcasting the games to customers in a pub would still breach copyright if the League’s logo is shown in on-screen graphics, if the League’s anthem is heard before kick-off or at half time, or any other copyrighted sound or artwork can be heard or seen. The League has stepped up its patrols of pubs this season, with its investigation firm ID Inquiries checking around 5,000 premises around the country, including London, to see if foreign satellite services are being used.
Pubs found to be illegally showing matches are asked to sign an undertaking to stop. Those that ignore the request or say no are then issued with legal proceedings.
A source said: “We had to wait until the Karen Murphy case was concluded before we could take action again, so we could understand all the ramifications. This season we have been more active than ever before, and are expecting around 100 prosecutions.”
A spokesman for the League said: “The Premier League has decided to take legal action against a number of pubs across the country with civil claims issued in recent weeks.”
