Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Premier League taking action against city pub
THE English Premier League is taking the owner of a Dundee pub to court over the alleged unlawful broadcasting of football matches.
League bosses have raised an action at the Court of Session against Ashley Fairfield, of Dexy’s Bar in Arbroath Road.
The case is in relation to the pub allegedly broadcasting English matches via foreign channels. The matter was lodged with the court this month, though a full hearing is yet to take place.
The Premier League declined to comment on the nature of the action but it could mean the organisation is seeking damages from the pub, or an injunction to prevent it showing further games.
In the UK, the only channels that are authorised to broadcast live Premier League football in commercial premises are Sky Sports and BT Sport.
On Sky’s business website, a statement from the Premier League states: “Licensees who broadcast Premier League matches via unauthorised foreign channels to the public risk having legal action taken against them for infringing the Premier League’s copyright.”
It also states: “This illegal activity can result in licensees being fined, having to pay legal costs and/or losing their personal licence.”
The broadcasting of games has been a contentious issue, with legal battles between Sky Sports and pubs across the UK in the past.
Previously, a legal l oophole allowed premises to show games from foreign channels.
However, on June 15 last year, copyright law was updated, outlawing any unauthorised foreign broadcasts of Premier League football matches in the UK.
A number of pubs in Dundee have been taken to court over the televised games, with some even facing criminal action for showing matches illegally. The Tele attempted to contact Ms Fairfield about the legal case but she couldn’t be reached for comment. A member of staff at the pub said she was unavailable. A Sky spokesman said that as the action was being raised by the Premier League, it would not comment on the matter. A spokesman for the Court of Session said: “The Football Association Premier League versus Ashley Fairfield called on June 8 at the Court of Session but no dates for a hearing have yet been set.”