All Blacks ready to tackle Google
All Blacks ready to tackle Google
John Matheson
Monday, May 21, 2007
The New Zealand Rugby Union is considering legal action against YouTube over unauthorised screening of top rugby games.
A lawsuit was launched against YouTube earlier this month by England soccer's Premier League, furious over premiership footage screened without permission on the American-based website giant.
The league has urged other sports bodies to join its legal battle, and Sunday News has been told NRL and AFL bosses are consulting with their lawyers.
Last night, NZRU deputy CEO Stew Tew confirmed the body - along with SANZAR partners Australia and South Africa - was keenly following the Premier League lawsuit.
"Internet piracy (of broadcast material) has been discussed within SANZAR in the last 12 months," Tew told Sunday News.
"It is not yet seen as a major issue for rugby but the concerns of AFL, NRL and England's Premier League, suggest it is a fast-growing problem.
"We will watch the Premier League action - and related actions - with interest as they develop."
YouTube customers watch more than 100 million videos a day.
A YouTube search for the word "rugby" brought up links to 18,800 videos - the majority featuring the All Blacks, Super 14, NPC and haka.
Fans can even log on and watch full coverage of the 2005 Lions test series against the All Blacks - rights exclusively held by Sky TV and News Ltd.
TV coverage of sports matches has been captured on home cameras and downloaded straight onto YouTube - including the Warriors game against Cronulla earlier this month.
According to a recent New York Times article, up to 70 per cent of the material on YouTube was copyrighted, but downloaded to the site without permission.
But YouTube spokesman Rob Shilkin defended the website saying they "respected copyright".
"We're confident in our legal position and (we) won't let this case distract us," Shilkin said.
Sunday News
