Eric McLoughlin, deputy special agent in charge at the Department of Homeland Security, displays stitching on the inside of an authentic NFL jersey, top, and a counterfeit jersey during a news conference at Mandalay Bay Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. The authentic jersey has flatter numbers with high-quality stitching. The fake jersey has more raised numbers with low-quality stitching, he said.
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 | 2 a.m.
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is — at least, when you’re looking for Super Bowl 58 merchandise or game tickets.
That was a message reiterated by officials from the NFL, Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General when discussing counterfeiting late last week ahead of today’s game at Allegiant Stadium between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
“Our message to NFL fans today is simple: Watch out for criminals who are looking to scam consumers and illegally profit off the popularity of the NFL, your favorite team and the Super Bowl,” said Bonnie Jarrett, senior legal counsel at the NFL. “Don’t put yourself at risk; buy authentic NFL merchandise from established retailers that you know and trust.”
Counterfeiting, also known as intellectual property theft, involves the stealing of someone’s trademark without permission of the trademark holder, according to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. In most states, counterfeiting can be prosecuted as a felony and federally carries punishments including life in prison and up to $30 million in fines, the coalition said.
During the 2021 Nevada Legislature, changes were approved by lawmakers that increased criminal penalties for the violation of state statutes, said William Scott, chief of investigations for the Nevada attorney general’s office.
Charges under the statute can be brought criminally or civilly, but criminal violations — which used to be misdemeanors only — are now tiered with amounts and penalties to follow general fraud and theft violations.
Counterfeit goods often circulate during large events like the Super Bowl, and occur both through online spaces and in physical stores. Jarrett said there’s been an increasing focus on selling fake NFL products through social media, online marketplaces and copycat websites.
These online operators may not just sell counterfeit goods, but could also steal financial information during sales transactions, she noted.
“Protecting NFL fans continues to be a top priority,” she said, which is why they’ve once again teamed up with national, state and local law enforcement agencies to curb the selling of fake products.
Before last year’s Super Bowl in Phoenix, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center announced it had seized approximately 180,000 counterfeit sports-related items estimated to be worth $22.7 million.
In neighboring Nevada, the state attorney general’s office had taken in more than 60,000 counterfeit or misbranded items with a total retail value of over $10 million, Scott said.
“And make no mistake, if you peddle counterfeit merchandise in Nevada, we will go after you,” Scott said.
Throughout the entire year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection — alongside Homeland Security Investigations — confiscated 94,000 shipments of goods that violated intellectual property rights, which equated to almost $29.1 million, said Katrina Berger, executive associate director of Homeland Security investigations. It was part of the department’s Operation Team Player, a year-round initiative run by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in partnership with all major U.S. sports leagues to stop counterfeit merchandise from reaching fans. The program will be in effect again this year, Berger said.
Counterfeit goods can not only affect trademark businesses, which could lose money from fewer buyers, but also their employees who rely on the company’s paychecks and consumers who may unknowingly purchase something with harmful materials in it.
Think: fake jerseys of Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce that fall apart at the seams after only one wash, or Super Bowl rings filled with lead.
Troy Miller with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection explained that Los Angeles-branch officers and import specialists from the CBP Centers of Excellence and Expertise have been working since the end of January, when the Super Bowl teams were solidified, to detect and intercept counterfeit goods before they enter the country.
Fans can use a few methods to identify fake merchandise.
Erik McLoughlin, deputy special agent in charge at the Department of Homeland Security, said tags missing the NFL logo or the holographic football when shined under a light means the product is most likely a fake.
You can also feel for material quality with clothing items, with raised jersey numbers or sloppy stitching on the inside being a clue as to whether something may be counterfeit, he said.
On the NFL official website, NFL Shop, a Chiefs versus 49ers Super Bowl 58 hat for men can start at $31.99 depending on the style; an official Super Bowl 58 program costs about $20; and a purple Fanatics Super Bowl 58 shirt might put you back $30 at the least.
But some merchandise can be outside the budget, like a $150 men’s 49ers Christian McCaffrey Nike Super Bowl 58 jersey or a customizable women’s Chiefs Nike game jersey with a Super Bowl 58 patch — which is going for almost $180 online.
Buyer beware on tickets
But it’s not just physical products they’re worried about. Officials also cautioned fans about fake tickets for today’s game.
The NFL was seeing one too many fans be turned away from games with fraudulent tickets, which is why the NFL Ticket Network was created in 2018, said Michael Buchwald, NFL vice president of legal affairs.
Using technology that verifies the authenticity of tickets sold, Ticketmaster and the NFL Ticket Exchange are the only sites utilizing this program. Super Bowl 58 tickets are all digital, so fans should be wary of any physical tickets or those sent to them as PDFs or screenshots, Buchwald added.
His tips for avoiding counterfeits include buying only from reliable sources such as Ticketmaster, always using a credit card or secure form of payment and being wary of tickets that are advertised at a price below market value.
“The IPR Center and NFL are working around the clock to protect fans, business owners and everyone else involved, and we’ll keep working through Super Bowl 58 and beyond,” Berger said. “Even if we’re all on different teams this weekend, we can still agree that we’re here to support our favorite teams and players. And just remember, true fans keep it real.”
