Protecting Football Fans From Phony Finds

It's football time, not only in Tennessee, but across the country.  And as we count-down to kick-off, fans are busy buying their last minute items to support whatever team they claim.
But are your dollars going to your favorite school, or the person using their logo without permission.Mary Cookston is pretty leery of knock-off items and only shops for licensed collegiate merchandise in reputable stores.  "Well if you buy it out of the back of somebody's vehicle, you never know where it comes from," says shopper Mary Cookston.

That license for most schools with athletic programs comes from the Collegiate Licensing Company.  Could you tell counterfeit items from the LICENSED merchandise?  We looked at two separate LSU tee-shirts.  One shirt has the official hologram sticker, showing that it is licensed by the CLC.  The other shirt does not.  The first shirt has the correct player numbers.. The other shirt has different numbers..  That shirt also has a torn label, indicating a second-hand shirt.  L-S-U gets no profits from the shirt on the left.  "The schools have the right to control how their (trade) marks are used," says CLS vice-president and associate general counsel Michael Drucker.  "They also have the right to profit how their (trade) marks are used."

So exactly how much is the profit?  We found a baseball cap with Tennessee's licensed "Volunteers" logo on it, also with a "Power T."  It retails for 10 dollars at the Wal-mart, and here's the breakdown.  Mr. Drucker says this cap actually costs 7 dollars to make.. That's the wholesale price.. U-T's scholarship fund gets about 70 cents from the logo licensing, which drops the wholesale cost to 6 dollars and 30 cents.  The store markup is 3 dollars and 70 cents, for a total retail cost of 10 bucks..

But how does the Collegiate Licensing Company enforce the counterfeit products out there?
With spotters at just about every athletic event of its clients, especially football games.  "At any one point in time, we have over 200 active cease-and-desist issues outstanding," says Mr. Drucker.

So make sure you check for the Collegiate Licensing hologram on the next athletic item you buy, no matter what it is.  That is good advice for Edward Deboard, who just found some orange shoes with the "Power T" on them.  "I finally found some that would fit me," he says.  If you don't see that hologram, some of your money is not going to the school.  "They're circumventing the school," Mrs. Cookston says, "and not supporting it."

Also, watch out WHERE you buy the collegiate merchandise.  Mr. Drucker says, many booths at flea markets and corner stands have a tendency to sell phony items that are unlicensed.
You have to be diligent and purchase your items from stores and vendors that you trust.  Other ways to spot counterfeit merchandise is the lack of a trademark symbol beside the logo, a label that is cut in two meaning the clothing is second-hand, and yes.. Even the misspelling of the team slogan or nickname.