There are many people around the world who take advantage of the popularity of American sports with the mass production of counterfeit jerseys, baseball, basketball, ice hockey. However, nothing is more geared toward football, or to be exact, NFL jerseys. To the untrained eye, it can be very difficult to spot the difference between a real t-shirt and a fake. Let me start by telling you about no counterfeit jerseys. The jerseys are divided into three ranges, authentic, premier and replica. The Premier and Replica versions are not faked as they have all the names and numbers printed on the jersey or some sewn on and printed. Counterfeiters are not interested in these, as the costs of buying machinery to print them would put them off. Therefore, they are aiming for the authentic range, the easiest to mass-produce and also the most expensive of the three ranges. This gives them a bargaining tool by offering you what appears to be a good deal.
There’s one immediately telltale tail sign when counterfeit NFL jerseys are on offer, the price. If you go to a big sports site like NFL.com, a real one will cost between $200 and $280. If someone offers you the same shirts for $40, this should set off alarm bells. Don’t get me wrong, you can get authentic ones for cheaper than $280, but they tend to be players who no longer play or have switched teams. You won’t get an authentic jersey for $40 if they’re still playing for that team. Let me go into details, check the numbers and logos if they are bubbly, it is a sign of counterfeit. All numbers and logos must be rigid and smooth. Authentic jerseys are also made of a heavy material, and many fake jerseys use cheaper lightweight fabrics.
Reebok, the official manufacturer of the NFL, also only has the apparel made in certain countries. The authentic ones are only made in Korea or Vietnam, if your jerseys have any other country of manufacture on the neck label and have some or all of the other details mentioned above, it is most likely a fake NFL jersey. Don’t get sucked into thinking you’re getting a good deal, the jerseys are made in terrible conditions and the people who make them are underpaid for their work. The stitching and materials are poor and the shirts will fade and fall apart after a few washes. So stay away from fake products and buy the real thing.