Fans hit back as study claims ‘dodgy’ Fire Stick is ‘costing broadcasters and sports bodies billions’

Fans hit back as a study claims that by using a ‘dodgy’ Fire Stick is ‘costing broadcasters and sports bodies billions’.

As reported by the Daily Mail, illegal streaming through modified devices like Amazon Fire Sticks is costing broadcasters and sports organisations billions annually, with a report highlighting the scale of TV piracy as comparable to “industrial scale” theft.

The Premier League and companies like Sky and DAZN are particularly concerned, as pirated streams draw tens of thousands of viewers away from legitimate services during high-profile events, amplified by social media sharing.

‘Dodgy’ Fire Stick viewers are ‘costing broadcasters and sports bodies billions per year – as new study shows they account for a ‘double digit percentage’ of all premium sports viewing https://t.co/5xMOWWrIHw

— Mail Sport (@MailSport) May 30, 2025

In the UK, 59% of Fire Stick owners used them for illegal streaming in the past year, with nearly 4 million people illegally streaming live sports in 2023.

In France, piracy caused a €240m (£200m) loss to the sports sector. Rising subscription costs, estimated at £870 per year for Premier League games, drive fans to piracy, though broadcasters argue that these fees fund their ability to secure broadcasting rights.

In the 2023-24 season, it’s estimated football fans are paying out around £870 each year in TV subscriptions if they wanted to see all televised Premier League games, then add on the likes of cinema, documentary, and children’s TV packages for the rest of the family who don’t want to watch football, meaning some are facing a bill of £1,000.

Significant losses could impact players, clubs, and jobs in sports broadcasting.

Arrests, such as Sonny Kanda’s two-year sentence for defrauding providers of £108,000, reflect ongoing crackdowns.

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is issuing warning to viewers that they could face ‘serious consequences’ by using ‘dodgy’ Fire Sticks.

‘If you’re supplying or using illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk facing serious consequences,’ they said.

‘We will continue working with police to track down and shut down these illegal operations.’

FACT have been leading the clampdown on the crime over recent months.

The campaign is focusing on dismantling piracy operations and has seen officers visit people in person as well as issuing cease-and-desist warnings in the mail, suggesting there would be criminal prosecution if they did not stop their activities immediately.

After Sonny Kanda was sentenced earlier this year, Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, said: ‘The outcome serves as both a consequence for those involved in these criminal activities, and as a strong warning to others considering similar action.

‘Illegal streaming isn’t a victimless crime. It weakens the creative industries, puts consumers at risk of data theft and often funds other serious crimes.’

Fans hit back as a study claims those who use the ‘dodgy’ Fire Stick is ‘costing broadcasters and sports bodies billions’…

@TheVillaHome: If they weren’t extortionately priced, and actually showed a good variety of games across all the leagues then they wouldn’t have this problem?

@avfc_stef: Make all games viewable and the platforms affordable then 🤷‍♂️

@Potatoe_Waffles: So what? You expecting sympathy for robbing broadcasts and sports bodies? 😂 they bigger crooks than the fire sticks

@Utd__Agenda: GOOD. Charge proper prices then and maybe that way people won’t resort to this.

@MacAttxck_: It’s very fucking simple, stop fleecing fans to watch games. Can’t watch 3pm Saturday kick offs but can everywhere else in Europe, prices are a joke, same teams on every other week, it’s boring.

@MrPukkaUK: Only in the UK am i not able to watch every match in the EPL… Make a PL / EFL app with all the games… for a reasonable fee and EVERYONE will swap back from IPTV im sure.

@MazMazza1: reduce the monthly subscription and fans will pay the money. it doesn’t help having so many broadcasters. people cant afford it, or justify paying it

@bullens288: If they are watching games that are not televised then they are not costing they anything

@deakinkoz: Stop ripping fans off in the 1st place then!! Elsewhere in the world they can watch 3pm EPL matches yet we can’t in our own country where the games are being played?! Some type of subscription for EPL or just your own team needs to happen #avfc #utv

@lew_clamp: Bless them. Shouldn’t rip people off in the first place then.

@Jake_H96: Start a Netflix-type service for the football. Could charge £30 a month and people still pay it.

@DonJoyce12: Maybe if the broadcaster stopped charging extortionate amounts of money in monthly fees. The average Joe may not have to resort to dodgy boxes. The cost of living is tough enough. Besides listening to the billionaires whining about losing money.

@GOwen1878: Maybe don’t fucking rip people off with your crazy prices.

@MarkyT_MUFC: It’s costing them because they are paying stupid money for the rights, then ripping off customers with stupid prices and then destroying their product by employing you tube half wits and idiots for DEI tick sheets. It’s easy to fix if they want to

@Jw24387948: You can pay £60 a year or about £150 a month for pvp, even a season ticket your looking at silly money for most families, only one option for most, considering footballs meant to be for everyone, they’re doing a good job of not making it available to everyone

@StretfordTalks: Netflix covers 5000+ movies and 2500+ series for like £18.99 a month (with 4k content). But “9 dedicated channels” from @Skysports is £22 a month, and TNT Sport is £25 a month. £564 a year for Sports? Plus Netflix, Amazon and whatever else. TV is straight up unaffordable.

@DanAV___: will never feel any level of sympathy towards a massive corporation they can do one

@WhatTheForkLads: Stop ripping off customers and make it more accessible then. Can watch every English premier league game, including 3pm kick-offs, for far less overseas. Said for years they should create an affordable/multi level subscription app that shows every game, they’d make a killing. No-one WANTS to watch games in 3 pixels.

@ChappsRyan2000: Good. Maybe they’ll learn not to scam the average consumer with 90,000 different fucking streaming platforms