CLC To Crack Down on Counterfeiters at Orange Bowl

MIAMI, FL (December 29, 2015) – As Clemson University and The University of Oklahoma players and coaches prepare for Thursday’s Capital One Orange Bowl, the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) announced that it is taking the necessary measures to address potential counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise in the Miami area.

CLC, the licensing affiliate of IMG College, and the exclusive licensing agent for Clemson, Oklahoma, the Orange Bowl, and the College Football Playoff (CFP), will work closely with local law enforcement officials to patrol the marketplace in search of counterfeiters selling “knock-off” merchandise. All counterfeit merchandise is subject to seizure per state and federal laws.

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

Tips for purchasing official Clemson, Oklahoma, Orange Bowl, and College Football Playoff merchandise:

·       All officially licensed merchandise should display the “Officially Licensed Collegiate Product” hologram somewhere on the product or hangtag. All merchandise should have the appropriate trademark designations (i.e. TM, â) next to a specific name or design.

·       The merchandise should depict Clemson, Oklahoma and Orange Bowl logos and trademarks in a tasteful manner.

·       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 put in place by Clemson, Oklahoma and the Orange Bowl. 

·       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.

Clemson and Oklahoma have continually ranked among CLC’s top-selling institutions on an annual basis. The Tigers finished the 2014-15 fiscal year ranked 23rd in earnings among CLC institutions, while the Sooners were 18th overall.

Royalties generated from the sale of CFP merchandise help fund the organization’s philanthropic initiative, Extra Yard for Teachers. Extra Yard for Teachers is dedicated to honoring and supporting teachers nationally and in the communities that host the CFP National Championship.

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About the Collegiate Licensing Company

CLC is a division of global sports and entertainment company IMG. Founded in 1981, CLC is the leading 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, CLC is a full-service licensing representative, which employs a staff of more than 90 licensing professionals who provide full-service capabilities in brand protection, brand management, and brand development. For more information on CLC, visit: CLC.com or IMGCollege.com.