CHICAGO -- Buying a jersey representing your favorite team is a huge part of baseball's All-Star Weekend for many fans.
That knowledge prompts some unsavory merchants to foist fakes on unsuspecting fans, who then part with hard-earned money for merchandise that wears out after one or two washings.
Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were at U.S Cellular Field on Wednesday with a stern warning to counterfeiters, hagglers and others intent on selling fake merchandise in conjunction with the All-Star game, which will be played on July 15 at the ballpark: If you sell fake merchandise, you will go to jail.
"I can assure you, we'll be everywhere, as we said in our press release, we have undercover people [and] uniformed people," said Ethan Orlinsky, general counsel for Major League Baseball. "We'll focus on areas that bring the most amount of attention."
Some of these key players, like the FBI and the Office of Homeland Security, joined this counterfeit-fighting lineup mainly for extra security at U.S. Cellular Field.
Baseball officials say about $200 billion in sales is lost to counterfeiting every year -- and Major League Baseball souvenirs comprise millions of those dollars. They said they're cracking down largely for fairness to fans who end up with lesser quality goods. Baseball officials also said they're cracking down to help retailers, who baseball officials say lose business due to counterfeit sales.
"At end of day, it's crime, a felony, if you counterfeit merchandise," Orlinsky said.
If you are at the outdoor souvenir shop on July 15, here's how to tell the real deal from the fake stuff: Look for a hologram, which has the official insignia of Major League Baseball. Second, look for a cut tag, which is a sign of a counterfeit product. Look also for an official MLB insignia stitched into the item (pictured, left), such as a cap.
"We put trademark notices on T-shirts," Orlinsky said. "Look for combination of these things; [you] almost certainly will be buying licensed products"
Fans also have to worry about fake tickets. Legitimate tickets have a bar code that is, according to baseball officials, impossible to counterfeit. Special machines will be available all around the park for fans to check tickets they bought or may buy from someone else. When the bar code is swiped through the scanner, legitimate tickets get a green light. The fakes get a red light.
"With computers out there today, that concerns us, because of the safety and security of our fans" said Kevin Hallihan, vice president for security and management for Major League Baseball. "[We want to know] who's coming into the ballpark."
http://www.nbc5.com/sports/2309491/detail.html
That knowledge prompts some unsavory merchants to foist fakes on unsuspecting fans, who then part with hard-earned money for merchandise that wears out after one or two washings.
Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were at U.S Cellular Field on Wednesday with a stern warning to counterfeiters, hagglers and others intent on selling fake merchandise in conjunction with the All-Star game, which will be played on July 15 at the ballpark: If you sell fake merchandise, you will go to jail.
"I can assure you, we'll be everywhere, as we said in our press release, we have undercover people [and] uniformed people," said Ethan Orlinsky, general counsel for Major League Baseball. "We'll focus on areas that bring the most amount of attention."
Some of these key players, like the FBI and the Office of Homeland Security, joined this counterfeit-fighting lineup mainly for extra security at U.S. Cellular Field.
Baseball officials say about $200 billion in sales is lost to counterfeiting every year -- and Major League Baseball souvenirs comprise millions of those dollars. They said they're cracking down largely for fairness to fans who end up with lesser quality goods. Baseball officials also said they're cracking down to help retailers, who baseball officials say lose business due to counterfeit sales.
"At end of day, it's crime, a felony, if you counterfeit merchandise," Orlinsky said.
If you are at the outdoor souvenir shop on July 15, here's how to tell the real deal from the fake stuff: Look for a hologram, which has the official insignia of Major League Baseball. Second, look for a cut tag, which is a sign of a counterfeit product. Look also for an official MLB insignia stitched into the item (pictured, left), such as a cap.
"We put trademark notices on T-shirts," Orlinsky said. "Look for combination of these things; [you] almost certainly will be buying licensed products"
Fans also have to worry about fake tickets. Legitimate tickets have a bar code that is, according to baseball officials, impossible to counterfeit. Special machines will be available all around the park for fans to check tickets they bought or may buy from someone else. When the bar code is swiped through the scanner, legitimate tickets get a green light. The fakes get a red light.
"With computers out there today, that concerns us, because of the safety and security of our fans" said Kevin Hallihan, vice president for security and management for Major League Baseball. "[We want to know] who's coming into the ballpark."
http://www.nbc5.com/sports/2309491/detail.html
