Sony Pictures Network have acquired the exclusive license and media rights from the England and Wales Cricket Board Limited (ECB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to broadcast the India Tour of England 2021 in the territories of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and the Maldives.
Sony Pictures Network filed a suit in the New Delhi High Court against www.Sportsala.Tv. www.Sportsala.Tv. is a website that was engaged in the business of streaming as well as uploading content that was not licensed. Among other content the website also illegally streamed sporting events and had also infringed Sony Pictures Network’s exclusive media rights in the past. Therefore, Sony Pictures Network filed this suit to prevent them from doing so in the upcoming India – England International Cricket Series 2021.
The court held that the unauthorized streaming of the matches will result in monetary losses to Sony Pictures Network and also cause losses to the Government in the form of revenue collected through taxes. The court laid down that www.Sportsala.Tv would be restrained from in any manner, making available to the public on their websites through the internet in any manner whatsoever, any cinematograph work, content, programme and show or event which Sony Pictures Network had the exclusive rights over.
The application stands disposed of.
