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Feb 9, 2010 11:33 am US/Central
NBA Warns Fans About Counterfeit Products
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images
With the All-Star Game just days away, the NBA is warning fans to be on the lookout for counterfeiters selling fake merchandise across North Texas. Large sporting events, like the NBA All-Star Game, provide a huge market for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting fans looking to save a few bucks.
The NBA has been involved in the seizure of more than nine million pieces of counterfeit merchandise, valued at more than $329 million, since 1993. The league, and other major sporting associations, works with the Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports logos (CAPS), as well as local and federal officials to put a stop to counterfeiters.
Many of these counterfeit merchandise sellers travel around the country visiting large sporting events with the sole intent of scamming fans, the NBA said. Security at the NBA All-Star Game is expected to be tight, with many authorities working to ensure that no counterfeit merchandise is made available. Still, there are steps that consumers can take to protect themselves.
Anyone interested in buying NBA merchandise should look for the hologram sticker that identifies it as a genuine or official NBA product. These emblems can be found on products at authorized NBA retailers, like the NBA Stores located inside the American Airlines Center, Cowboys Stadium and the Jam Session at the Dallas Convention Center. Many area hotel shops will also be official NBA retailers during All-Star Week. Consumers should not buy NBA products from street vendors or flea markets.
Also, the NBA warns consumers to be wary of ripped tags or irregular markings on products. And, when buying merchandise, inspect it carefully. Counterfeit merchandise is notorious for containing errors like misspelled text, outdated logos, incorrect colors and overall poor quality. Plus, counterfeit merchandise may not meet required safety standards.
Although counterfeit merchandise may often be sold at a cheaper price than official products, the NBA noted, mistakes can make them practically worthless. "When it comes to counterfeits, you get what you pay for," explained Ayala Deutsch is the senior vice president and chief intellectual property counsel for the NBA. "A counterfeit T-shirt is not a keepsake if it contains a typo or shrinks three sizes when you put it in the laundry."
For more information on counterfeit merchandise, and the efforts being done to stop it, contact CAPS at 1-800-TEL-CAPS or
www.capsinfo.com.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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