Sports Jerseys – Fake or the Real Deal? 

With the popularity of sports jerseys growing dramatically over the past decade, so have the number of fake or counterfeit jerseys being offered as authentic.  Many scam artists have set up shop and are peddling their fake merchandise at sporting events and temporary locations.

The sales pitch for these so-called “real” sports jerseys, whether authentic jersey or throwback jersey copies, usually starts with a bargain price. This is usually the hook that is used to lure you into a high-pressure pitch.

 Perhaps the vendor suggests that they got a great deal on overstock merchandise or from a going-out-of-business retailer – along with a “guarantee” that this jersey is the real thing. Don’t buy it!

Most likely these sports jerseys are knock-offs shipped in from overseas – with poor quality materials and inferior manufacturing processes.

Law enforcement agencies are starting to police these fake sports jerseys and the vendors that sell them. The counterfeit jerseys are being confiscated and the vendors arrested.

Despite these efforts, there is a huge black market for the fake jerseys. The policing agencies are not staffed well enough to stop the large inflow of counterfeit jerseys into the country.

Our best advice is – Buyer Beware!

Here are helpful tips to make sure you are getting the real deal – an authorized, high-quality sports jersey: 

• Be suspicious of prices too good to be true – they usually are!
   
• Don’t buy your jersey from a street vendor – authorized dealers rarely market licensed, authentic jerseys in stadium parking lots or on street corners.
   
• Be wary of buying a jersey at one of the online auctions -- estimates of up to 95% of the jerseys purchased here are counterfeit.
   
• Look at the jersey carefully. Fakes usually have poor stitching and faded (or the wrong team) colors.
   
• Believe it or not, check the spelling of the name of the team or player. Fakes often have misspellings.
   
• Look for the official sport logo – NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. Some display it in the form of a hologram.
   
• Official jerseys display the name of the licensed manufacturer and a trademark -- if it's not there, it's probably a fake.

Remember – if the “deal” sounds too good, it probably is! Smart sports fans, like you, make their sports jersey purchases from a reputable, licensed merchant. You can take pride in knowing that you are wearing the REAL DEAL!