UFC vows to sue individuals for pay-per-view piracy

Mixed martial arts fans who watch pirated internet content could soon be pressed against the cage, says the president of an industry-leading fight promotion. In a move that could signal a sea change in the viral presence of MMA — the burgeoning sport of caged pugilism — Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship, said his company is readying a legal assault on individuals and websites that deal in unauthorized content.

“When people start going to jail, people will stop doing it,” White said.

The pay-per-view industry, of which the UFC has emerged as one of the most profitable players with an estimated $349 million US in revenue last year, is the latest front in a war between consumers who want free content and entertainment companies with a product to protect.

The weapon of choice for digital thieves: streaming video websites that beam live pay-per-view signals to their home computers, free of charge... Read More