cheap knockoffs seen during conference, league Finals
With the Western Conference Finals returning to San Antonio for at least one more game, the NBA is warning fans to beware of counterfeit and non licensed merchandise, including caps, t-shirts, and other items, 1200 WOAI news reports.
“The NBA is working hard to raise awareness about the prevalence of counterfeiters scheming to take advantage of unsuspecting fans through the sal;e of unauthorized and poorly produced knock off items,” said Ayala Deutsch, Senior Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for the NBA.
Deutsch says counterfeit merchandise costs the league as much as a quarter billion dollars a year in lost licensing fees.
The Conference Finals and NBA Finals are prime venues for counterfeiting, Deutsch warns. The NBA says knock off items are always of a lower standard than official merchandise, and can tear, fade, or have their logos peel off shortly after purchase.
