The governing bodies of world tennis "called for the closure" of TV channel beoutQ on Thursday, saying that it had illegally broadcast tennis content across MENA "without the right to do so," according to Alexander Cornwell of REUTERS. The ITF, ATP and other bodies said in a statement that such "industrial-scale illegal piracy" risked damaging the value of broadcasting rights which help fund the sport. The statement follows similar complaints about beoutQ from FIFA, UEFA and Formula 1, which also "accused it of pirating content including the opening games of the World Cup." The joint statement said, "The world’s tennis governing bodies have joined forces to publicly condemn and call for the immediate closure of the illegal Saudi Arabian-based piracy operation, 'beoutQ.'" It added that the content had been distributed by Riyadh-based satellite provider Arabsat. Saudi Arabia denied that beoutQ is based in the kingdom and said that authorities are "working to prevent beoutQ's activities there." BeoutQ could not be reached for comment. It is "unclear who owns and operates the channel" (REUTERS, 7/5).
