
<p>LaLiga is taking the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bein-sports-and-dazn-team-up-to-battle-illegal-streams-20230509-WST-432154.html">battle against piracy</a> to the source and Google. The Spanish top flight recently claimed it wiped a heavy chunk of piracy websites in Spain. Javier Tebas, the league’s chief executive, said <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> took down 58 apps that led to over 1 million illegal downloads of live games. Tebas said he and LaLiga have reached out to Google to target apps already on Android devices so they too can be, as he put it, “eliminated.”</p>



<p>Tebas compared the illegal streaming of soccer games to child abuse images. He claims that if Google can track child abuse images on phones and take care of those assailants, it can do the same for illegal streaming of sports. </p>



<p>LaLiga spoke as part of the Fight Against Piracy in Sporting Events. Also in attendance was the Spanish Higher Sports Council (CSD). That organization cited facts that laid out the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/streaming-services-to-lose-113-billion-by-2027-due-to-piracy-20230419-WST-429113.html">severity of piracy</a> currently in Spain. According to the CSD, piracy in the European Union grew by over 3% in 2022. While not specifically mentioning LaLiga, Tebas’ comments demonstrate the league feels the effects of illegal streaming. </p>



<p>Tebas said <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/laliga-talks-to-google-about-piracy-apps-from-a-million-phones-230924/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1.1</a> million people in Spain watched sports illegally. He identified that 800,000 of that piracy group use Android devices to watch LaLiga. A much smaller 300,000 use Apple devices. The 58 apps LaLiga eliminated work against that, but it is still hazy how successful LaLiga has been in dealing with piracy.</p>



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<h2>Can Google help LaLiga with piracy issues?</h2>



<p>Tebas said he reached out to Google to locate illegal streams on mobile phones.</p>



<p>“We are talking to Google and other platforms so that they can be located on those mobile phones,” <a href="https://www.lasprovincias.es/valenciacf/espana-pirateria-futbol-europa-20230923115055-nt.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tebas said</a>. “If it can be done and it is done, for example, for crimes such as child pornography, for intellectual property, which is stealing, they should have to do it too.”</p>



<p>Tebas wants to deal with those people who still have the piracy apps downloaded. <a href="https://blog.google/documents/27/How_Google_Fights_Piracy_2018.pdf/">Google can track these</a>, as it has knowledge of what apps are available on Android devices. Still, it seems like a bold comment to relate sports streaming to child abuse images. However, there is a possibility that Tebas’ desire to hunt down piracy could lead to more financial backing for these kinds of services. </p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


LaLiga wants Google to delete piracy apps on Android phones

LaLiga is taking the battle against piracy to the source and Google. The Spanish top flight recently claimed it dealt with many pirates.


<p>Wrexham is currently one of the biggest talking points in US sport. So much so that the fifth division Welsh soccer team is surpassing MLS in popularity, according to data made available by Google. </p>



<p>For 2023 to date in the United States, Wrexham is pulling in relatively more searches in Google than Major League Soccer. Despite the 2023 season of MLS kicking off around two months ago, Wrexham’s success in earning promotion has captivated American audiences. Google Trends, a service that compares searches across Google, reveals that <a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2023-01-01%202023-12-31&amp;geo=US&amp;q=wrexham,MLS&amp;hl=en-US&amp;hl=en&amp;tz=240" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wrexham surpasses MLS in popularity</a> at many points. </p>



<p>So far this year, there are two major spikes in the popular times for Wrexham compared to MLS. One of those was in late January, and the other was in the middle of April. The former was when <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/sheffield-utd-eliminates-wrexham-from-fa-cup-in-stoppage-time-20230207-WST-419017.html">Wrexham played Sheffield United</a> in the FA Cup in two thrilling cup ties. More recently, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/wrexham-faces-several-challenges-in-its-return-to-league-two-20230430-WST-430790.html">Wrexham secured promotion</a> to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/60-70-americans-flock-to-wrexhams-turf-pub-every-day-20230427-WST-430541.html">rousing support</a> both in Wales and in the United States.</p>



<p>Searches for ‘Wrexham’ in the United States this year surged on two occasions. Both of those, comparatively speaking, exceeded the maximum searches for MLS as a soccer league in 2023. Note that MLS did average more searches from mid-February through early April. However, the aforementioned spikes buoyed the Welsh club’s average to surpass that of MLS this year. Moreover, the incomplete data for the end of April shows that Wrexham far exceeds that of MLS. </p>



<p>Worryingly for MLS, the metrics show that the league has plateaued in recent weeks based on people searching for more information about the top-fight American league.</p>



<h2>Wrexham beats MLS on popular Google searches</h2>



<p>In many ways, Wrexham has been the talk of the soccer world in the United States. Much of that credit goes to its Hollywood owners who invested heavily in creating a historically successful squad. That success on the field and off with the <em>Welcome to Wrexham</em> documentary has <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/wrexham-are-more-famous-in-us-than-clubs-outside-top-10-20230426-WST-430207.html">Wrexham more popular than some MLS clubs</a>. With Wrexham planning a US tour this summer with a set of friendlies against Manchester United and Chelsea, the Red Dragons are fighting for exposure against American clubs.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://theathletic.com/4477037/2023/05/01/wrexham-mls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a> </em>published a story that discusses how well Wrexham would do in the 29-team MLS campaign. Wrexham would have to significantly over perform to hang around in Major League Soccer. Not only does every MLS team exceed Wrexham in squad strength, but MLS is ranked higher than every English Pyramid division except for the Premier League. That includes the Championship, which is two leagues higher than Wrexham’s next League.</p>



<p>Despite the relatively lower quality, Wrexham makes a case for being more popular than MLS. Owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney plan to use that popularity to get the club into the Premier League sometime down the road.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="cy" dir="ltr">&apos;Whether it takes five years, whether it takes 20 years, that&apos;s the goal.&apos;<br><br>Mewn cyfweliad arbennig gyda <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxineERHughes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaxineERHughes</a> i <a href="https://twitter.com/S4C?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@S4C</a> mae <a href="https://twitter.com/VancityReynolds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VancityReynolds</a> a <a href="https://twitter.com/RMcElhenney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMcElhenney</a> yn dweud eu bod nhw&apos;n benderfynol o gyrraedd Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr â <a href="https://twitter.com/Wrexham_AFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wrexham_AFC</a>. <a href="https://t.co/ApzgP2B7Ty">pic.twitter.com/ApzgP2B7Ty</a></p>— Newyddion S4C (@NewyddionS4C) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewyddionS4C/status/1653106406839443591?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>For Major League Soccer, this could say volumes about the interest in the league. Outside of the MLS Cup Playoffs, interest would generally be the highest at the beginning of the league’s season. Fans are ready to follow league-wide results as they happen. Yet, in the early stages of the 2023 campaign, the league is being outdone by a fifth-tier side in Wales.</p>



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Based on Google searches in the beginning of 2023, Wrexham is surpassing MLS based on how popular each is in the United States.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Google"

Leagues: La Liga

LaLiga wants Google to delete piracy apps on Android phones

Leagues: MLS

Wrexham outshines MLS in US soccer searches