US Government Issues Warrant Aimed at Taking Down Illegal Websites

[Travicity]

The Associated Press reported today that the federal government has pulled the plug on ten websites that have allowed the illegal streaming of live sporting events, including World Wrestling Entertainment PPV events.

The AP reported, "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were executing warrants based on a federal court order unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan. The warrants direct Internet domain gatekeepers to disrupt the sites while the agents try to identify operators and charge them with copyright infringement."

Obviously, this is an issue that is plaguing wrestling companies large and small, so it's going to be a case worth tracking as it develops.

PWI

[Metalitia]

There are two sides to every argument of course.

Would those whom watch wrestling via streaming sites buy the PPVs or would they simply not bother watching at all and thus cost WWE and others a hell of a lot more than a smaller buyrate by becoming lapsed fans.

[Swinny]

There are two sides to every argument of course.

Would those whom watch wrestling via streaming sites buy the PPVs or would they simply not bother watching at all and thus cost WWE and others a hell of a lot more than a smaller buyrate by becoming lapsed fans.

Yeah, exactly. They could remove any possible chance of being able to stream the PPVs and I doubt they'd see their buyrates go up very much at all. People aren't going to be "Well, I can't find it online so I'll just have to buy it", it won't happen. Very few people may, if they're that desperate to see it, but not many.

Then there's the other issue here, the fact that it's ridiculous to go after these sites because people, people who are completely unrelated to the site, use them to stream things illegally. The sites are not built specifically for the purpose, the responsibility should be on the people themselves, not the site.