Counterfeiting in Sports Products

Counterfeiting in Sports Products

Counterfeiting is an art these days. No matter where you look or where you go, you have to fear counterfeiting. In 2020, as the day of the Big Game got closer, a barrage of government agencies took the streets to crack down on counterfeiting. Agents with the Customs and Border Protection, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Miami-Dade officers seized the counterfeit items from flea markets, retail outlets, and street vendors (Silverman, 2020).

An official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement said officials found more than 176,000 counterfeit sports-related items during Operation Team Player (Silverman, 2020). While this was not the first time an operation like this took place leading up to a Big Game, each year sees an increase in seizures, with this one being a 400% increase from the 2019 operation. The NFL is not the only organization with Big Games, and during the NBA All-Star game in Charlotte in 2019, authorities seized several counterfeit shirts (Wilson, 2019). The U.S. government has stepped in to help with the counterfeiting of sports gear, with its most prominent and brightest weapon being the HSI-led IPR Center, which specializes in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. Working in close coordination with the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to intellectual property theft. An increase in online sales has seen a rise in fraud and counterfeiting. Also, the price of everything has increased, driving the consumer to search for the best price on merchandising and setting themselves up to sell counterfeit merchandise. While companies have a great plan to help combat counterfeiting, counterfeiters always find a way.

References

ICE, CBP warns consumers about counterfeit sports merchandise during NBA and NHL playoffs. (2017, 9). U.S. Customs and Border Protection. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/ice-cbp-warn-consumers-about-counterfeit-sports-merchandise-during

Silverman, H. (2020, February 2). Feds seize over $123 million worth of counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/02/us/cbp-fake-superbowl-merchandise-seized/index.html

Wilson, D., & Guevara, S. (2019, March 12). Troubleshooter: Be on the lookout for counterfeit sports apparel, tickets. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. https://abc11.com/sports-counterfeit-tickets-money-scam/5186555/

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In 250 words with references, answer the following:

Counterfeiting in Sports Products

Search for two recent articles on counterfeit sports products. Identify and discuss some critical methods/technologies companies use to thwart counterfeiting in their businesses. Do you think it is making a  difference? Why or why not? What do you think will happen five or ten years from now?