UFC has a six-man team that "monitors the unauthorized use of video on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube; bootleg DVDs; and restaurants, bars and other commercial establishments that broadcast events without paying a licensing fee," according to Josh Peter of USA TODAY. But UFC Dir of Content Protection Clint Cox said that his priority is pirated online broadcasts, because UFC "makes most of its money from pay-for-per view revenue." Leagues and television networks are "sharing data and strategy" to combat the pirated content, but "no one has been as aggressive as the UFC, which once threatened to sue not only the pirates, but fans who watched the illegal broadcasts." However, the "chances of viewers getting sued are about as high as the chances of UFC banning the closed-fist punch." Cox "quickly pivots between watching links, sending warning letters, forwarding evidence to attorneys and law enforcement and patrolling social media for references to illegal video streams." The pirates "steal signals from virtually every notable sporting event and operate from around the world, with raids having broken up operations in Botswana, Belgium and Egypt." The Coalition Against Online Video Piracy includes "many of the world's major sports leagues and rights holders, and members will meet throughout the year to address issues." MLBAM VP/Corporate Communications Matt Gould: "We are very proactive and take this seriously." Peter noted cord-cutters "are potential customers" for pirated content, but experts also "identify the 'never-cords,' young viewers who never bothered to pay for cable TV because they found pirated content" (USA TODAY, 10/8).
