Bad news if you watch Premier League football illegally

If you use a 'dodgy box' or illegal stream to watch Premier League football there's about to be a crackdown.

The Independent is reporting that the Premier League is taking steps to crack down on the illegal streaming of games in both the UK and Ireland. A High Court action in the United Kingdom has ruled that internet service providers must block all servers that are broadcasting games illegally. While the action does not extend to Ireland at this point, the report suggests that the Premier League is speaking to Irish service providers about putting similar measures in place over here. A recent BBC poll found that a third of football fans watch games illegally and, with Sky having seen its greatest drop of viewers in seven years last season, measures were always going to be put in place to crack down on illicit streaming. "The protection of our copyright, and the investment made by our broadcast partners, is hugely important to the Premier League and the future health of English football," said Premier League spokesperson Kevin Plumb after the ruling. "The ability that clubs have to develop and acquire talented players, to build and improve stadiums, and to support communities and schools is all predicated on being able to market, sell and protect commercial rights."