NBA To Fans: Beware of Counterfeits at NBA All-Star 2011

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 14, 2011) – The biggest stars in basketball will converge on Los Angeles from Feb. 18 to 20 for 2011 NBA All-Star. Unfortunately for fans, so will counterfeiters, warns the NBA.

As excitement surrounding NBA All-Star in Los Angeles nears, the league cautions that unsuspecting fans – eager to commemorate the weekend – may be targeted by counterfeiters attempting to sell unauthorized and poorly produced knock-off merchandise.  Not only do counterfeiters victimize legitimate retailers in the Los Angeles area, they also victimize basketball fans who believe they are purchasing authentic NBA gear only to later learn they have purchased inferior merchandise.

The NBA will work closely with Los Angeles law enforcement throughout NBA All-Star to enforce local 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.

Since 1993, the NBA – through its membership in the Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports logos (CAPS) – has been involved in the seizure of nearly 10 million pieces of counterfeit merchandise featuring the logos of various professional sports leagues, teams, colleges, and universities – valued at more than $360 million.  Such counterfeiting often takes place around high-profile events, such as 2011 NBA All-Star.

“The NBA protects both fans and our authorized vendors by insisting upon the highest-quality products,” said Ayala Deutsch, senior vice president & chief intellectual property counsel for the NBA.  “Counterfeiting harms retailers who play by the rules and cheats fans out of the lasting NBA mementos they deserve. It’s a lose-lose situation.”

Working with OpSec Security, the NBA has a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting program to protect fans looking to purchase genuine NBA jerseys and merchandise. All authentic NBA merchandise has an official NBA hologram supplied by OpSec. In addition, OpSec monitors and assists the NBA in removing counterfeit goods that it finds on auction sites and e-commerce platforms.

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 the NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Staples 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 fans’ memorabilia to last as long as their memories of NBA All-Star.”

About CAPS:
The Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports logos (CAPS) is an alliance formed by The Collegiate Licensing Company, Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., NBA Properties, Inc., NFL Properties LLC, and NHL Enterprises, L.P. in 1992 to address common trademark protection and enforcement matters of its members. For more information, call 1-800-TEL-CAPS (835-2277) or visit www.capsinfo.com.

About OpSec Security:
OpSec Security, Inc. is a wholly-owned division of OpSec Security Group plc (London AIM: OSG). OpSec Security is the global leader in providing anti-counterfeiting technologies as well as solutions and services for physical and online brand protection to over 300 companies across industry sectors and over 50 governments worldwide. The Group operates manufacturing facilities and laboratories in the USA and the UK, and has sales operations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. For more information, please see www.opsecsecurity.com, or contact Terri Mock, +1-617-226-3000, or tmock@opsecsecurity.com.