With the Super Bowl days away, federal authorities announced a crackdown on sites that stream unauthorized broadcasts of sports events.
The announcement today came just hours after New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told reporters in Indianapolis that he watched last year’s game on an illegal site.
Investigators seized 16 sites and brought criminal charges against a Michigan man who controlled nine of them.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara warned sports fans in a release that piracy costs sports leagues and broadcasters millions of dollars, forcing increases in ticket prices and other costs to consumers.
His message came soon after Brady casually mentioned his own use of illegal websites during a news conference staged in preparation for the Super Bowl on Sunday between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reportedly has admitted to watching one of the sites.