Boxing Fan Cracked With £85,000 Bill Over Illegal Facebook Stream

[Ruthless-RKO]

According to a report in The Mirror, a boxing fan was hit with an £85,000 demand after his Ipad was used as a device to stream a Sky Sports pay-per-view from April 2016, featuring Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko, to 4,250 people on Facebook.

Craig Foster, 34, paid £19.95 to watch the sell-out Wembley bout on Sky at home with friends.

Foster claims that one his friends the IPad, brought up Facebook Live, and pointed it at the TV to stream the event.

Sky was able to track Foster down from a watermark of his account number which flashed up on screen during the fight.

The network cancelled his subscription – and sent him an £85,000 demand for the loss in revenue from pay-per-view sales.

“I’d paid for the boxing, it wasn’t like I was making any money. My iPad was signed in to my Facebook account and my friend just started streaming the fight," Foster told the paper.

“I didn’t think anything of it, then a few days later they cut my subscription. They’re demanding the names and addresses of all my mates who were round that night but I’m not going to give them up. I said I’d take the rap.

“They’re making an example of me. I know streaming the fight was wrong. I didn’t stop my friend but I was watching the boxing. I’m just a bloke who had a few drinks with his friends.”

Law firm Foot Anstey LLP, who represent Sky, also ordered Foster to pay £5,000 in legal costs or face court over the full amount.

The lawyers also demanded an apology “to use in education materials concerning unlawful redistribution of programmes.”

“It’s heavy-handed. I’ve apologised and told them we were drunk,” Foster said.

Neil Parkes, of Foot Anstey, said: “Mr Foster broke the law. He has acknowledged his wrongdoing, apologised and signed a legally binding agreement to pay a sum of £5,000 to Sky.”

[Nightmare Roy]

I'd say bollox send me to clink for a fortnight

[Spud]

Wow ... interesting move

[TheLeprechaun]

They cant stop streams. This will actually make people more determined to watch on streams.

[Ruthless-RKO]

4,250 watched the stream, at £19.95.. If those people bought it, it equates to £84,787.50

Add on another £5,000.

Them 4,250 were never going to pay for it regardless.

What about those that watch it in a lounge/cafe.. Again, only 1 person is paying for it.. and hundreds are watching it.

[ShadrachSimmo]

No good ever comes from using Facebook. Unlucky son.

[JimJim2009]

Looks like it has been done and dusted, and the lad has sold his story to the papers, probably to recoup a bit of money.

He should be sent down for life, his reckless actions possibly mean Joshua only got £12m for a single night's work instead of £12.05 million

[KiwiRider]

It's stealing, no matter what story you come up with.

[dirk2686]

4,250 watched the stream, at £19.95.. If those people bought it, it equates to £84,787.50

Add on another £5,000.

Them 4,250 were never going to pay for it regardless.

What about those that watch it in a lounge/cafe.. Again, only 1 person is paying for it.. and hundreds are watching it.

Some surely would have done wouldn't they?

[Ruthless-RKO]

4,250 watched the stream, at £19.95.. If those people bought it, it equates to £84,787.50

Add on another £5,000.

Them 4,250 were never going to pay for it regardless.

What about those that watch it in a lounge/cafe.. Again, only 1 person is paying for it.. and hundreds are watching it.

Some surely would have done wouldn't they?

Not if you're already looking for a stream. if it wasn't on Facebook, there are tonnes of websites streaming the fight.

[keithmoonhangover]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

[banjo]

It's only £20 a PPV.

[Mimmy]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

[TheLeprechaun]

It's stealing, no matter what story you come up with.

I hate idiots like this who act better than everyone else but we all know they have watched a stream in the past themselves.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

He said it was his friend

[wesshaw1985]

he should just set up a go fund me.
Anybody that's ever watched a stream chucks in some small change he'd be more than fine...

[leejonesjnr]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

I think you’ve misunderstood what’s happened.
He didn’t share a stream he had found, he (his friend who definitely exists) was streaming a paid for PPV.

[wesshaw1985]

[Mimmy]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

I think you’ve misunderstood what’s happened.
He didn’t share a stream he had found, he (his friend who definitely exists) was streaming a paid for PPV.

Ok, so this lad paid for the ppv and streamed it on Facebook to thousands of others?

[wesshaw1985]

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

I think you’ve misunderstood what’s happened.
He didn’t share a stream he had found, he (his friend who definitely exists) was streaming a paid for PPV.

Ok, so this lad paid for the ppv and streamed it on Facebook to thousands of others?

Apparently, the lad bought the PPV for himself and his mates. One of his mates got hold of the lads ipad went, onto his facebook account and started streaming the PPV...

[mickey1975]

About 20 on my friends list go Facebook live for every big fight!

[Stuarty]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

He said it was his friend

It was Kid Galahads brother what done it

[Stuarty]

Is this the dude from Liverpool? He was on one of the podcasts talking bout it few months back if it's the same guy.

[bripez]

The last thing I'm thinking about when I'm watching a fight is how to stream it to thousands of people I don't know.

I think you have a good point. If I stream I do it off my own back and use it for myself. I wouldnt for 1 minute stick it on facebook so thousands, possibly millions could view it. I say for what he has done its his own stupid fault and he has to pay the consequences if he gets (got) caught.

If you have something for free thats costing someone else dough, keep it to yourself, you will always get dobbed on by someone.

He said it was his friend

Wasn't Kid Galaghads brother was it - he is well known for his crazy japes!

[Boxerbeetle]

Is this the dude from Liverpool? He was on one of the podcasts talking bout it few months back if it's the same guy.

Wasn’t that the fella who streamed the first Eubank Jr PPV on ITV?