By “Tampa” Earl Burton
Over the first quarter of the 21st century, consumers have completely restructured how they consume entertainment. Whether it is music (CDs, vinyl, even cassettes) or television shows and movies (streaming, DVDs, and Blu-rays), in today’s world you don’t have to physically have the materials to be able to enjoy them. Still, many people collect these types of media, which raises a question: can you still physically collect media such as CDs, vinyl, DVDs, and the like, if they aren’t “official” releases? And, if so, is the ability to obtain these physical pieces an allowable passion or is it still breaking the law?
Billions in Lost Revenue
The question in our title is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Yes, it is still against the law to profit by selling merchandise that the owners have not officially released. This is piracy, whether it is music, video, movies, or television, and it is against the law. Digital piracy alone totals around $75 billion as of 2025, and is expected to grow to as much as $125 billion soon. Physical sales – CDs, DVDs, vinyl, etc. – totaled roughly $11 billion in 2025, and physical piracy – when you see someone selling DVDs or CDs on the streets – cuts into those numbers heavily.
These actions take money from those whose livelihoods depend on selling their product – musicians, producers, filmmakers, and many, many more. While it won’t affect the big names in the music, television, and movie industries, it does hurt those down the food chain who get a piece of the pie when an album, television show, or movie is sold in a physical format. Thus, you would think that those in charge of the products would want to get more of it into the public fold.
And you would be highly mistaken.
According to IMDb.com, many popular television series have never had a DVD release. Shows such as Ally McBeal, Two Broke Girls, Perfect Strangers, Welcome Back, Kotter, and A Different World have never had a physical DVD release from either their former broadcast outlet or the company that owns the rights. Other shows have received a haphazard release, such as a couple of seasons but not the complete series.
With these truths, what are fans of shows to do? That’s where “bootleg” CDs and DVDs come in.
Getting Something That Isn’t Being Offered
I came across this situation recently while looking to add material to my collection of CDs, vinyl, and DVDs. Last fall, I was highly entertained by The Joe Perry Project when they came to the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa for a show (and this is how they get you – you have a past – searched on Google, bought tickets, etc.) with the particular item or activity), but because it was a concert, I didn’t expect to see that it would be offered on a CD. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the opening night performance by the band at Hard Rock Live! at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood (the show immediately before the Tampa show), was available as a double CD on eBay.
Now, another note for you. eBay is notorious for offering material that is either “on the edge” of legality or blatantly illegal. If you see something offered there, tread carefully and make sure it is a legitimate release. Alas, the excitement of picking up a copy of that Joe Perry Project show overwhelmed me, and I purchased it, not noting until later that I was ordering it from a seller in Malaysia.
How was it? You could tell it was bootlegged; there was more crowd noise than usual, and the band, while sounding great, sounded…strange. It certainly wasn’t taken right from the mixing board!
Another time, I was more driven by getting something I wanted and overlooked the legality. Several years ago, I saw that someone had released a DVD of the television show Brimstone, which originally aired on Fox Television alongside Millennium. Brimstone was a fascinating show, and it aired for only thirteen episodes; neither Fox Television nor the show’s owners will consider releasing a DVD of the series because if it didn’t get support when it originally aired, who is going to buy it? So, I didn’t feel too bad that it was a bootleg, although I’d still love to see it get the love it deserves with a full DVD release.
The question remains, however. Is it truly a dishonest deed if you KNOW that the product isn’t going to be receiving an official release? Or is it a case of “by any means necessary” when it comes to your personal entertainment? It is a question that’s been asked for decades, and we’re probably no closer to an answer in today’s highly tech-heavy world.
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