IMPI investigates accusations of piracy against streaming service Sportflix

[HARDY]

Mexico’s Instituto de Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) is investigating the over-the-top (OTT) platform Sportflix following piracy accusations from an undisclosed source.

In the meantime, the streaming service, which was scheduled to launch on 30 August, is not available for subscribers, despite many having already paid for it.

“The accusations are aimed at Sportflix, a website that delivers exclusive sports programming whose rights are owned by Televisa, TV Azteca, the Olympics, international football associations and other pay-TV channels such as FoxSports, ESPN, TNT and Univision,” the industrial property authority stated.

According to the IMPI, an inspector was sent to Sportflix’s physical office in Mexico, where the company has its legal address, but its employees didn’t allow him to enter the building.

Sportflix was one of the most awaited OTT launches of the year, promising live streaming from the major sports competitions, including international football competition such as La Liga and the Premier League, available around the globe.

However, ahead of the scheduled launch, broadcasters, programmers and rights’ owners claimed that no agreements had been reached with the Mexican platform. Last week, the PR agency Vivian Smith cut ties with the platform few days before its launch. While the IMPI investigation continues, the platform’s owners remain silent.