CANAL+, LALIGA sign anti-piracy agreement covering nearly 50 countries

CANAL+ and LALIGA have signed an anti-piracy agreement covering nearly 50 countries across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and Haiti, as the broadcaster and the Spanish football league seek to strengthen their efforts against the illegal distribution of sports content.

The agreement, announced recently in Paris and Madrid, will see the two organisations share intelligence, coordinate enforcement strategies and accelerate action against illegal distribution networks operating across multiple territories.

The partnership brings together the anti-piracy technology, intelligence, and enforcement capabilities of both organisations to protect the commercial value of sports broadcasting rights.

Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA, said piracy had become a major challenge for the sports industry and required greater cooperation among rights holders and broadcasters.

“Piracy is one of the greatest challenges facing the future of sports, one that no organisation can tackle alone, which is why partnerships like this one are so important. By joining forces with CANAL+, we are bringing together technology, intelligence and operational expertise to protect the value of our competitions, defend the investment made by broadcasters and clubs, and ultimately safeguard the future of football.”

CANAL+ CEO Maxime Saada said the agreement reflected the broadcaster’s expanded efforts to combat illegal distribution of its content.

“The unprecedented scale of this partnership reflects the strategic importance CANAL+ attaches to the fight against content piracy. I am particularly pleased that our Group shares a common conviction with LALIGA, one of the sports leagues most committed to combating piracy: piracy undermines the entire sports ecosystem. By combining our anti-piracy expertise, we are significantly enhancing our ability to take action.

All players in the sports industry, without exception, and more broadly all stakeholders in the audiovisual and creative industries, have a role to play in tackling the scourge of piracy. CANAL+ is fully assuming its responsibility, and this partnership is a call for all industry players to do the same.”

Focus on sports financing

CANAL+ and LALIGA said illegal broadcasts affect the wider sports ecosystem by reducing revenues that support professional and grassroots activities.

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They said the impact extends beyond copyright infringement to investment in youth academies, clubs, audiovisual production and other areas dependent on sports media rights.

The two organisations described piracy as a growing challenge to the sustainability of sports broadcasting, particularly as illegal distribution networks operate across borders.

The new agreement is intended to enable faster identification of illegal services and better coordination of enforcement action across the territories covered by the partnership.