How the NFL Scored a Massive Win Against Illegal Streaming

Authored by: Ethan Polen

Abstract: With major sports leagues like the NFL continuously attracting incredible talent and global viewership, the league has effectively developed a monopoly on the sport of American football. Unlike other sports leagues, such as the NBA, which incorporates teams from other countries, has adjacent leagues, and even minor league teams, the NFL has no competition and high demand, which has resulted in a year-over-year increase in streaming prices for consumers.[1] Due to this steady inflation, many fans have turned to a make-shift alternative - illegal streaming. This form of online piracy violates numerous copyright and intellectual property laws in the United States and subtracts from the NFL’s streaming revenue as consumers have begun to cancel their subscriptions to major platforms like ESPN, CBS, and FOX altogether. This article provides a case study of the legality, financial impact, and future of the world’s largest illegal streaming company, Streameast, against the NFL.

Introduction

Crisp and cool autumn air circulating at a tail gate, the roar of the crowd after the home team secures a much-needed win, or the connection we feel to our family, friends, and others when putting on our favorite team's jersey. These feelings and moments encapsulate the meaning of sports and serve as the foundation for the United States population’s infatuation with professional leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The commercialization of professional sports has existed for over a century, with Major League Baseball being founded in 1903[2] and the National Hockey League being founded in 1917.[3] Since its inception, major sports leagues have seen their popularity and revenue balloon to rival that of corporations operating in popular industries such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. What started as simple games made to pass the time or teach children has become multi-billion-dollar enterprises that attract the greatest athletic talent from across the globe and influence our media, culture, and society. However, due to the rapid growth in popularity of leagues such as the NFL, the price to watch our favorite teams has steadily increased. As a result, the chief problem major sports leagues are encountering is the formation of free, illegal streaming platforms, which is costing them billions. Seeing as all leagues navigate and face the same issues with streaming, I will narrow the scope to mainly just the largest player, the NFL.

In total, the five biggest sports leagues in the United States: the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Soccer (MLS) combine to a total revenue of $52.3 billion in 2024 - with the biggest chunk coming from the NFL at $23 billion[4]. Due to its firm foothold on fans and sponsors, the NFL draws large amounts of viewers each year. So far in 2025, the NFL has attracted, on average, 22 million views online per game[5]. As a result, to capitalize on its widespread appeal, the NFL has developed clear and structured partnerships, systems, and revenue strategies to maximize the length and profitability of its primary income, streaming deals.

NFL franchises are exhibiting exponential growth, with franchises such as the Dallas Cowboys doubling their valuation from just four years ago to, now, 13 billion dollars[6]. As a result, the premium for the right to broadcast NFL games has never been greater. The NFL’s main source of revenue is TV income, at around 60% of total revenue. The NFL makes money by selling the right to stream its copyrighted material to other companies, such as CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN. These deals are extremely lucrative, with the current contracts scheduled to generate $110 billion over the next 10 years[7]. The aggressive bidding war for streaming rights of the NFL has resulted in contracts, like ESPN paying $2.7 billion annually for the right to stream Monday Night Football, and CBS, FOX, and NBC $2 billion to stream on Sundays[8]. As a result of the premium they pay, streaming companies are eager to profit from these deals by charging fans extended and pricey subscriptions. To bypass these charges, a large portion of consumers opt to illegally stream sports.

Illegal streaming is the act of capturing a broadcast from a previously mentioned company like CBS or FOX, and restreaming it through the internet for others to access for free via a website or link. This practice has become highly detrimental to the NFL’s profits, as its ease of use and prevalence have seen an upward trend, with one survey of NFL fans in 2023 stating that 35% regularly watch games on pirated streams[9]. To quantify their grief, a joint statement by the NFL, NBA, and UFC stated that the global sports industry forfeits around $28 billion in annual revenue[10] because of consumers opting to shift towards freeviewership and away from traditional platform contracts, and, as a result, has begun cracking down on hundreds of illegal providers - the most important one being Streameast. Streameast’s influence and popularity rivaled that of the NFL itself, seeing 1.6 billion visits and generating $6.2 million in revenue over the last year[11]. Being a large and free competitor, the NFL and other leagues took legal action to protect their profits and cease the operations of Streameast. In cooperation with Egyptian law enforcement in August of 2025, a sting operation ended with the arrest of two men 20 miles west of Cairo, Egypt, and the seizure of devices used to power the site[12]. The shutdown of Streameast is a global event that has major ramifications for the illegal streaming industry. Previously thought to have been in the U.S. government’s blind spot, the collapse of a giant shed light on the legality and ethics of illegal streaming.

The illegality of Streameast hinges on the violation of copyright laws in the United States. Copyright laws are strict and clear, as they have been a core principle of intellectual property and societal advancement since the writing of the Constitution[13]. Copyrights protect an individual’s or group’s expression of an idea, for example, a specific love song, but not the general idea of a love song. The case Lapine v. Seinfeld illustrates this distinction. In 2009, Missy Lapine sued Jessica Seinfeld for copyright infringement on her healthy cookbook, The Sneaky Chef. She argued that the books were too similar as both discussed the topic of hiding healthy ingredients in food. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Seinfeld, as Lapine was not able to bar others from creating a healthy cookbook, given there were differences such as the recipes, style, and format[14]. With a copyright, owners gain the exclusive power to reproduce the work, create derivatives of the work, distribute copies of the work, and perform the work both physically and digitally. To infringe on a copyright, there must be proof of a valid copyright held by the plaintiff and the presence of unauthorized copying, or violation of one of the previously mentioned rights. To be considered copying, two standards must be met: the first being that the defendant had access to the original material, and the second, that there are probative similarities between the original and copied work[15].

In the case of Streameast, there are clear violations of copyright law on all fronts. Firstly, the NFL owns a registered copyright by registering with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and having content that falls into the category of copyrightable material, as the NFL is protecting a specific, contained expression of the league and its teams. With its copyright, the NFL can reproduce, sell, or distribute its streaming services, and publicize remixed content in the form of highlights, documentaries, etc. After identifying the NFL’s valid copyright, Streameast infringed on the organization's rights by having access to the original material and distributing it with probable similarities. The site had clear access to the original material as it mirrored public streams available on national news stations onto its own platform. Furthermore, when distributing the material, Streameast’s display was unaltered and an exact copy of the NFL’s.

Identifying Streameasts' violation, the most common and effective defense to copyright infringement is fair use. As a defense, fair use was put in place by the judicial system to ensure that innovation and progression still persist in society without the concern of legal involvement. For an action to be deemed as fair use, the court looks at a host of factors, namely: the purpose of the use (how was the copied work used?), the nature of the copyrighted work, (what type of quality was used to copy the original?), the proportion of the copyrighted work used ( how much was copied?), and the effect of the copying on the market (did the copied product result in monetary or personal loss for the plantiff?)[16]. Understanding the requirements of fair use, Streameast would not be able to defend its operation under this law. Firstly, the purpose of the use was for profit and personal benefit, the nature of the use was copying unique games in high resolution, the proportion of the original material used was almost one hundred percent as Streameast gave access to all games in their entirety, and the effect on the market was devastating as the NFL’s streaming profits decrease by billions of dollars. As a result, the operation of Streameast was illegal and rightfully ceased due to a clear infringement on the NFL’s valid streaming copyright.

Although the impact illegal streaming services have on the business of major leagues like the NFL has been difficult to contain, there are actions being taken to remedy the leagues' leaking profits. The NFL and other leagues have recently sought to bring government attention to the ring of illegal streaming services in the form of rewording the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)[17] and creating the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act (PLSA)[18]. The DMCA was signed into law in 1998 by the Clinton administration and protects streaming services from piracy by making it illegal to circulate copyrighted material online. If copyrighted material is detected online, the law mandates that the content be taken down “expeditiously”[19]. This law has seen recent exploitation by illegal providers due to its vague wording. Live sporting events only last a couple of hours, and key moments, like a game-winning drive, only last minutes. In the past, illegal streams eventually removed the content, but it took hours, if not days, due to the absence of concrete language. As a result, the law is currently easily avoidable and has minimal impact. To remedy this loophole, the NFL, along with other major sports leagues, urges Congress in their letter to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to add “immediately” or “instantaneously”[20] as words to describe the swift removal of these streams. Knowing the issue may always persist, this change is aimed at improving the response time to illegal streams and shutting them down before any valuable content can be distributed. Furthermore, the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act, signed into law by President Trump in 2020, provides additional lines of defense against illegal streaming. Before 2020, infringing copyright laws on public performances, such as the NFL, was only treated as a misdemeanor by the court. The enactment of the PLSA now designates any willful distribution of copyrighted material for personal benefit as a felony[21]. Misdemeanors are crimes that are characterized as less severe and carry lighter jail sentences of usually less than one year, smaller fines, and the possibility of probation or community service in place of jail time[22]. Although not a desired criminal charge, usually, a misdemeanor does not result in life-altering consequences and has clearly not deterred the creation of illegal streaming sites. However, the penalties associated with a felony, which are now given to those who provide illegal streams, are harsher and life-altering. Becoming a felon means a prison sentence, usually longer than one year, that can last up to life, the loss of the right to vote, purchase firearms, or hold certain jobs, and a permanent display on public record, which decreases the future opportunities for the convict[23]. Unlike the previous law, which aids in the response against illegal streaming platforms, this law attempts to address the issue at the source and deter the creation of illegal streaming sites altogether.

While addressing the formation of these illegal streaming operations, the NFL is simultaneously countering the issue at its core. Fans use illegal streaming platforms because the cost to watch the games legally is too high. According to Forbes, to watch every NFL regular-season game for the 2025-2026 season, consumers will have to shell out close to $800[24]. As a result, die-hard fans who aren’t able to confidently support that payment are forced to lean on illegal streaming. Acknowledging this reality, the NFL is taking active steps to remedy its pricey streaming by partnering with consulting agencies like Accenture to cut data costs. Talking to a personal friend in the cloud-first practice who has been in the industry for over 20 years, he described the work currently underway to reshape the NFL as “Massive. We’re centralizing its data to one center because their video [data], analytics [data], etc., are all over the place and costs a lot for them to keep on all these different servers… [this project] will save them hundreds of millions of dollars.”[25] By reducing the costs incurred to produce and manage these streams, consumers can only hope that the NFL will then decrease the price of its streaming contracts and provide more convenient access to eliminate illegal streaming.

After investigating the importance of commercialized streaming for the NFL’s profits and the evident illegality of illegal streaming platforms, like Streameast, it is clear that the NFL should take legal action. I chose to pursue this topic to explore the history and legality of illegal streaming, as I used Streameast, and have found myself watching less football without it. Before writing this paper, I was hopeful that Streameast could make a return (I now know it won’t) and allow me to watch my favorite teams again; however, an important takeaway from my research and discussions is that the law is powerful. The law has powerful implications on all facets of my life as I move into my independence. Whether it's in my work contract negotiations, my first mortgage, or a store’s return policy, the law is pervasive and subconsciously overlooked. Being able to understand the law is a bubbling interest of mine that has stemmed from viewing a dispute that was once draped behind the ignorance of my everyday actions.

Works Cited

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Florio, Mike. “NFL, NBA, UFC Seek Tougher Governmental Action Against Illegal Streaming.” NBC Sports, NBC Sports, 30 Aug. 2023, www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-nba-ufc-seek-tougher-governmental-action-against-illegal-streaming.

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Supreme Court, New York. Lapine v. Seinfeld, 1991.

[1] sherman4949. “NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Says League Could Renegotiate Media Deals as Soon as 2026.” CNBC, CNBC, 24 Sept. 2025, www.cnbc.com/2025/09/24/nfl-tv-rights-renegotiations-accelerated-roger-goodell.html.

[2]Augustyn, Adam. “Major League Baseball.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, inc., 25 Oct. 2025, www.britannica.com/topic/Major-League-Baseball.

[3]R, Damini. “Oldest Sports Club in North America.” Oldest.Org, 26 Mar. 2025, www.oldest.org/sports/oldest-sports-club-in-north-america/.

[4]“The 5 Most Profitable Sports Leagues in the US [Updated 2025].” Mirror Review, 2025, www.mirrorreview.com/profitable-sports-leagues/

[5]“NFL Viewership Statistics (2025) – Audience Demographics.” Evoca.Tv, 17 Sept. 2025, evoca.tv/nfl-3/viewership-statistics/.

[6] Long, Michael. “NFL Business Report 2024/2025.” Sports Pro, 2025, www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/6021566/nfl-business-report.

[7]Johnson, Michael. “As NFL Revenue Rises, Current Media Rights Deals Ensure Future Success.” S&P Global Market Intelligence, www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/as-nfl-revenue-rises-current-media-rights-deals-ensure-future-success. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

[8]Johnson, Michael. “As NFL Revenue Rises, Current Media Rights Deals Ensure Future Success.” S&P Global Market Intelligence, www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/as-nfl-revenue-rises-current-media-rights-deals-ensure-future-success. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

[9]Danaher, Brett, et al. “Pro Sports Has a Piracy Problem.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 14 Feb. 2024, hbr.org/2024/02/pro-sports-has-a-piracy-problem.

[10]Danaher, Brett, et al. “Pro Sports Has a Piracy Problem.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 14 Feb. 2024, hbr.org/2024/02/pro-sports-has-a-piracy-problem.

[11]Leventhal, Adam. “Streameast, World’s Largest Illegal Sports Streaming Platform, Shut down in Sting.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2025, www.nytimes.com/athletic/6591670/2025/09/03/streameast-worlds-largest-illegal-sports-streaming-platform-shut-down-in-sting/.

[12]Leventhal, Adam. “Streameast, World’s Largest Illegal Sports Streaming Platform, Shut down in Sting.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2025, www.nytimes.com/athletic/6591670/2025/09/03/streameast-worlds-largest-illegal-sports-streaming-platform-shut-down-in-sting/.

[13]Spooner, Professor, director. IP Law Copyright, https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/courses/1672738/modules/items/19299976. Accessed 2025.

[14]Supreme Court, New York. Lapine v. Seinfeld, 1991

[15]Spooner, Professor, director. IP Law Copyright, https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/courses/1672738/modules/items/19299976. Accessed 2025.

[16]Spooner, Professor, director. IP Law Copyright, https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/courses/1672738/modules/items/19299976. Accessed 2025.

[17]Department, Treasury. “Enforcement of Copyrights and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; Federal Register Extracts.” NexisUni, 2024,advance-lexis-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/document/?pdmfid=1519360&crid=890ccf36-af2a-4051-b4b3-33aa5c8c6ddc&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A6C9Y-HCJ1-DYVR-P0CH-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=247474&pdteaserkey=sr2&pditab=allpods&ecomp=hc-yk&earg=sr2&prid=5ff8690c-1afd-4794-9cf2-158975c61e94.

[18]Blog, Newstex. “Protecting Lawful Streaming Act Signed Into Law.” NexisUni, 2021, advance-lexis-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/document/?pdmfid=1519360&crid=1c5816f5-094e-4fc8-a00f-fe0b464ea4f7&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A61PS-XYJ1-F03R-N3F4-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=484257&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=hc-yk&earg=sr0&prid=5125d2e2-abe2-4cff-a3f3-1a642e510833.

[19]Department, Treasury. “Enforcement of Copyrights and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; Federal Register Extracts.” NexisUni, 2024,advance-lexis-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/document/?pdmfid=1519360&crid=890ccf36-af2a-4051-b4b3-33aa5c8c6ddc&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A6C9Y-HCJ1-DYVR-P0CH-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=247474&pdteaserkey=sr2&pditab=allpods&ecomp=hc-yk&earg=sr2&prid=5ff8690c-1afd-4794-9cf2-158975c61e94.

[20]Florio, Mike. “NFL, NBA, UFC Seek Tougher Governmental Action Against Illegal Streaming.” NBC Sports, NBC Sports, 30 Aug. 2023, www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-nba-ufc-seek-tougher-governmental-action-against-illegal-streaming.

[21]Blog, Newstex. “Protecting Lawful Streaming Act Signed Into Law.” NexisUni, 2021, advance-lexis-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/document/?pdmfid=1519360&crid=1c5816f5-094e-4fc8-a00f-fe0b464ea4f7&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A61PS-XYJ1-F03R-N3F4-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=484257&pdteaserkey=sr0&pditab=allpods&ecomp=hc-yk&earg=sr0&prid=5125d2e2-abe2-4cff-a3f3-1a642e510833.

[22]Law Firm, Hardin. “What Are the Differences between a Felony and a Misdemeanor?” The Hardin Law Firm LLC, 2025, hardinlawstl.com/blog/family-law-blog/what-are-the-differences-between-a-felony-and-a-misdemeanor/.

[23]Law Firm, Hardin. “What Are the Differences between a Felony and a Misdemeanor?” The Hardin Law Firm LLC, 2025, hardinlawstl.com/blog/family-law-blog/what-are-the-differences-between-a-felony-and-a-misdemeanor/.

[24]Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. “Streaming Every NFL Game Could Cost over $750. Here’s Where to Watch.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 28 Aug. 2025, www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/08/28/nfl-games-to-air-on-10-different-platforms-heres-what-itll-cost-to-watch-every-one/.

[25]Polen, Ethan, director. Ethan and Jeff Interview.