How much money 'dodgy' Amazon Firesticks are costing the UK economy as 15 UK areas targeted | OneFootball

Supporters have been able to access live broadcasts in an illegal fashion in recent times

A recent report has outlined that the usage of Amazon firesticks to illegally broadcast live football, such as EFL encounters, is setting the UK's overall economy back at least £7bn.

As such, it continues to be reported that households in possession of a jailbroken firestick could face significant fines if caught by local and national policing authorities, with up to 15 regions of the United Kingdom on red alert when it comes to these particular measures.

The usage of firesticks has been well-documented in recent times, with an array of avid football enjoyers up and down the UK seeking a way past having to pay significant, yet official subscription fees with the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports in order to watch several matches over the course of a long weekend, as well as midweek action, which certainly applies to many weeks in the Championship, League One and League Two calendar due to a gruelling 46-match schedule within the regular season, as well as the subsequent dramatic lottery that is the play-offs.

Unsurprisingly, though, there remains many people who continue to distribute the product to consumers, whilst police have set about a crackdown in this regard, whilst Amazon, the company associated with the firestick, have recently provided their own stance on the matter.

During a period of nationwide and global financial uncertainty, many may also not realise that whilst they are getting their football fix in an illegal fashion, it is also costing the United Kingdom government billions of pounds that could be spent on improving several other measures within society.

A recent report from the Daily Mail revealed the measures that have been taken by those who are currently distributing firesticks to bypass the law, as well as how various regional police departments have set about putting a stop to it.

It claimed that a firestick would normally cost £40, with distributors able to add hundreds of premium channels to the device through a jailbreaking method alongside streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and Netflix.

With it being an anonymous and digital sale, many have seen it as a rather simple route when it comes to generating extra income, potentially on top of their day job.

However, what has been described as a 'Wild West trade' within the United Kingdom is having severe negative implications on those in power, who are having to spend up to £7bn at present, according to a study from the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, to tackle digital piracy.

Unsurprisingly, it's not just police and government officials who see such instances as 'crime', so do television rights holders, who part with several millions of pounds with organisations such as the Premier League or EFL to provide lengthy and in-depth broadcasts throughout the campaign.

Indeed, the continuation of a recent deal with Sky Sports will see over 1,000 EFL-associated games broadcast mainstream or on Sky Sports+, including every single EFL Cup game, including the final at Wembley Stadium on March 22nd.

Of course, there is likely to be an argument from some supporters that the possession of a firestick is the cheapest way they can afford to watch the self-proclaimed 'beautiful game'.

It has been a debate as to whether Sky Sports and TNT Sports' programmes don't quite provide the same level of enjoyment as previously showcased, with several presenters and pundits coming under scrutiny as a result.

This comes on top of the fact that there is an ever-growing rise in matchday ticket prices, particularly in the EFL, where clubs are not restricted by the £30 away ticket cap which has been in place for over 10 years in the Premier League.

Coventry City are the latest club to feel the heat for this particular reason, having charged their own supporters who don't have season tickets, as well as those of local rivals Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion an eye-watering £45.

Therefore, many believe that drastic measures have to be put in place to ensure the game is affordable and enjoyable for everyone, without breaking the law and damaging the economy.