ORLANDO, Fla.,None — Basketball fans from across North America and the world will be converging on Orlando this week for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Amway Center. The NBA is working to raise awareness among fans that counterfeiters are also drawn to the star-studded NBA All-Star weekend festivities and to make sure fans take precautions to avoid being stuck with unlicensed NBA merchandise.
Amidst the excitement building for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, the league cautions that unsuspecting fans – eager to commemorate the event – may be targeted by counterfeiters attempting to sell unauthorized and poorly produced knock-off merchandise. Not only do counterfeiters victimize legitimate retailers in the Orlando area, they also victimize basketball fans who believe they are purchasing authentic NBA gear, only to later learn they have purchased merchandise of inferior quality.
The NBA is working closely with federal and state law enforcement officials - - Homeland Security Investigations, the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office - - who throughout NBA All-Star weekend will enforce laws prohibiting the sale of counterfeit merchandise. Counterfeiting is estimated to cost U.S. businesses $200 - 250 million annually and is directly responsible for the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs per year.
Since 1992, the NBA – through its membership in the Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports logos (CAPS) – has been involved in the seizure of more than 10 million pieces of counterfeit merchandise featuring the logos of various pro sports leagues, teams, colleges, and universities – valued at more than $369 million.
“The NBA is committed year-round to protecting both our fans and authorized vendors from low-quality, counterfeit products that become more prevalent around high-profile events such as the NBA All-Star Game,” said Ayala Deutsch, senior vice president & chief intellectual property counsel for the NBA. “Counterfeiting harms legitimate, tax-paying retailers and cheats fans out of the lasting NBA keepsakes they desire. We want to give our fans the information they need to avoid buying unauthorized merchandise.”
The NBA has a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting program to protect fans looking to purchase genuine NBA jerseys and merchandise, including the official NBA hologram that is affixed to all authentic NBA product. To avoid being victimized by counterfeiters, Deutsch urges basketball fans to:
- Look for the hologram sticker or holographic hangtag and a sewn-in or screen-printed neck label identifying the merchandise as "genuine" or "official," as authorized by the NBA.
- Shop at NBA-authorized retail locations, such as NBA All-Star Jam Session at the Orange County Convention Center, the Amway Center, and official hotels – rather than buying items from street vendors, flea markets, or other questionable sources.
- Shop online at NBAStore.com or other NBA authorized online retailers.
- Beware of ripped tags or irregular markings on apparel.
“Don’t be fooled – you get what you pay for when it comes to counterfeits,” Deutsch said. “It isn’t a keepsake if it contains a typo or falls apart after washing. We want our fans to have mementos that last as long as their memories of NBA All-Star.”
WFTV
