Bowl Officials Cracking Down on Counterfeiters at Chick-fil-A Bowl

ATLANTA, GA – As Clemson University and LSU players and coaches prepare for the Chick-fil-A Bowl match-up on Monday, Bowl officials, in conjunction with The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), an affiliate of IMG College, are taking necessary measures to clear the Atlanta market of potential counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise.

With the retail market for collegiate licensed product estimated at $4.6 billion, counterfeiters look to capitalize on the excitement of fans in town to cheer on their teams.

CLC, the exclusive licensing agency for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Clemson University, and LSU, will work closely with local law enforcement officials to control the merchandise being sold surrounding the Bowl game. All counterfeit merchandise is subject to seizure.

Tips for consumers purchasing Bowl merchandise…

• All officially licensed merchandise should display the “Officially Licensed Collegiate Products” hologram on the product or hangtag.
• The merchandise should depict Bowl and university logos and marks in a tasteful manner, as distasteful designs are not approved by the Bowl or the universities.
• The tag on the garment should be intact. A torn or missing tag is evidence of a second-hand garment, one that probably would not meet the stringent quality standards set in place by the Bowl or the schools.
• All merchandise should bear the name of the manufacturer somewhere on the product, either in the form of a hangtag, a neck label, or screen-printed directly on the garment.
• All merchandise should have the appropriate trademark designations (i.e. TM, â) next to a specific name or design.

Trademark infringement violates state and federal laws, including criminal laws. Penalties vary depending on the extent of the violation, but can include confiscation of the product and equipment used to make it, fines, and even jail time for more serious violations. Confiscated product is eventually destroyed or donated to charitable organizations.Royalties generated from the sale of Officially Licensed Collegiate Products go back to the respective universities to enhance various initiatives on campus.

The 45th annual Chick-fil-A Bowl will be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Monday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be televised on ESPN.

About The Collegiate Licensing CompanyCLC is a division of global sports and entertainment company IMG.  Founded in 1981, CLC is the oldest and largest collegiate trademark licensing agency in the U.S. and currently represents nearly 200 colleges, universities, bowl games, athletic conferences, The Heisman Trophy and the NCAA. The mission of CLC is to be the guiding force in collegiate trademark licensing and one of the top sports licensing firms in the country. CLC is dedicated to being a center of excellence in providing licensing services of the highest quality to its member institutions, licensees, retailers and consumers. Headquartered in Atlanta (Ga.), CLC is a full-service licensing representative, which employs a staff of more than 80 licensing professionals who provide full-service capabilities in brand protection, brand management, and brand development. For more information on CLC, visit: www.clc.com or www.imgworld.com.