Analysis: Is piracy just the cost of doing business?
The sport-media industry claims piracy costs it around US$28-30 billion annually. Yet the article argues this figure is questionable and suggests that perhaps piracy is simply an accepted cost given the current high-price subscription model used by sports leagues. While music and gaming industries lowered barriers (price, convenience) and reduced piracy, live sport continues with high-cost subscriptions and shows little appetite for changing its model. Thus, the piece concludes that for sport, piracy may not be a crisis but a predictable by-product of its business model.
