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Operation Team Player

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Operation Team Player

Imports of counterfeit and pirated goods undermine the economic vitality of the United States by reducing sales of legitimate goods, and by reducing employment, incentives to develop new products, and tax revenues.

The sale and trafficking of counterfeit goods is a multimillion-dollar criminal industry. Operation Team Player is a year-round initiative led by the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center in collaboration with all major U.S. sports leagues to prevent counterfeit sports merchandise and apparel from reaching fans ahead of high-profile sporting events.

The goal is twofold:

  1. Launch successful criminal investigations to prevent the illegal manufacture, distribution, and sale of fake sports related merchandise.
  2. Provide consumers with tips so they can make informed choices when shopping for their favorite team’s sports gear.

Together with major sports leagues, the IPR Center:

  • Tracks and intercepts counterfeit goods, including identifying international shipments, monitoring online marketplaces and e-commerce platforms and investigating markets and retail outlets engaged in selling fake merchandise.
  • Identifies warehouses, stores, flea markets, online vendors and street sellers trafficking counterfeit sports merchandise, apparel, souvenirs and collectibles.
  • Raises awareness to educate consumers to be able to make informed purchasing choices, spot counterfeit goods and understand the impact of intellectual property theft.
An HSI Special Agent displays counterfeit NFL jerseys seized at a vendor in the outskirts of Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl 58. Close up shot of inferior stitching on a counterfeit NFL merchandise.
 

Become an Informed Consumer

Buying fake merchandise may seem harmless, but it has serious consequences. Whether it’s a fan losing hard-earned money on a fake jersey they were led to believe was authentic, or small businesses that purchased an expensive vendor license losing vital sales, intellectual property theft is a real crime with real victims and real negative financial impacts. This may sound absurd when talking about sports merchandise, but has real consequences for medications, cosmetics, electronics and other types of counterfeit or unlicensed goods and merchandise.

Counterfeit jerseys, hats, rings and other sports merchandise may look like the licensed version, but you could be scammed out of your hard-earned money thinking you are spending money on licensed gear. Counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise is often cheaply made with inferior stitching, dyes and other dangerous materials that can affect consumers’ health. It may not hold up to wear and tear like licensed gear.

Why It Matters

Counterfeiting is a worldwide issue and combating it requires a united front. By working together — law enforcement, industry leaders and everyday consumers — we can make a significant impact.

  • What Does Intellectual Property Theft Mean?

    Intellectual property theft is the unauthorized use, exploitation or outright theft of creative works, ideas, trade secrets and proprietary information otherwise protected under intellectual property laws. IP theft covers a wide range of cases, including trademark violations, copyright infringement and patent infringement.

Many people don’t think twice about counterfeit goods — until they personally experience the consequences. Whether it's being scammed, suffering harm, or having their intellectual property stolen, counterfeiting has real-world effects.

By staying vigilant and choosing legitimate retailers, fans can protect themselves and the integrity of their favorite teams.

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