Top Rank lawyers review piracy issues over megafight streaming

Las Vegas-based Top Rank, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight’s co-promoter, was looking into the alleged piracy Monday after thousands of fans watched the fight for free on video-streaming apps, Top Rank President Todd duBoef said.

The much anticipated welterweight championship fight on Saturday in Las Vegas was expected to generate 3 million to 4 million pay-per-view buys at nearly $100 each. But thousands also watched the boxing match for free thanks to Twitter’s video-streaming app, Periscope. Other streaming services include Meerkat.

“We are always pursuing, watching out for piracy,” duBoef said. “We think anyone redistributing unauthorized streaming is cheating. They don’t have the right to distribute. We want a thorough report on how many streams are out there.”

Top Rank has hired an unnamed investigatory agency to compile a report on the matter. Top Rank is also working with pay-per-view partners HBO and Showtime on the matter, he said.

Boxing fans at the live fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena could videotape the bout on their cell phones or shoot video of the PPV on their mobile phones and then stream fight content to other people via Periscope.

“Technology just moves so quickly,” duBoef said. “Social media can be used to promote the event, but it could be used to violate distribution rights on the back end.”

Perisciope CEO Kayvon Beykpour is aware of the issue.

Beykpour posted on Twitter on Sunday: “Piracy does not excite us. Trust me, we respect IP rights &had many people working hard to be responsive last night (including myself)”

A Twitter investor, Chris Sacca, crowed about Periscope’s performance on Saturday by posting: “The winner of tonight’s fight? Periscope. @HBOboxing just took us into @MannyPacquiao’s dressing room. Live.”

He also posted another Tweet: “Periscope won by a knockout,” which drew 113 retweets and 261 favorites.

Another Las Vegas-based fight based organization, Ultimate Fighting Championship, which produces and promotes mixed martial art fight shows, has staff dedicated to tracking down illegal streamers who show live UFC events on websites.

At fight shows, UFC staff monitors the internet for illegal streamers, while UFC lawyers contact people who are pirating the show’s content, advising them to stop.

Contact reporter Alan Snel at asnel@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5273.