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CLC and College Football Playoff Officials Working to Stop Merchandise Counterfeiters at National Championship Game

ATLANTA, Georgia (January 10, 2022) – With the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship Game playing host to the much-anticipated rematch of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs, CLC, the nation’s leading collegiate trademark licensing agency, is working with CFP officials to protect visitors and fans from purchasing potential counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise.

CLC, the exclusive licensing agent for the CFP, will work closely with investigators to patrol the areas around Lucas Oil Field in search of counterfeiters selling “knock-off” merchandise.

“Our enforcement officials will be working to deter potential counterfeiters eager to capitalize on the excitement of the game and the passionate fans of these two great teams,” said Cory Moss, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CLC. “Our goal is to safeguard those fans from purchasing unlicensed counterfeit merchandise that often is of inferior quality while protecting the brands of the College Football Playoff and the participating institutions, as well as the officially-licensed manufacturers that have properly developed approved merchandise.”

Enforcement efforts surrounding the CFP began at the two CFP Semifinals at the Capital One Orange Bowl and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

“Part of our commitment to delivering a great experience for the participating teams and their fans is to provide quality, licensed merchandise as a memento of the game,” said Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff. “CLC and its enforcement network helps protect our fans from counterfeit goods that may otherwise take away from that experience.”

There are 37 companies that are officially licensed to produce approved merchandise bearing the marks of the College Football Playoff. Fans are encouraged to purchase only officially licensed CFP merchandise to ensure higher-quality products that can serve as souvenirs of their national championship experience.

Consumer tips for purchasing officially licensed College Football Playoff merchandise: 

  • All officially licensed merchandise should display the “Officially Licensed Collegiate Product” or the CFP’s “Extra Yard for Teachers” hologram somewhere on the product or hangtag.
  • The merchandise should depict the logos and trademarks of the College Football Playoff and participating teams in a tasteful manner.
  • The tag on the garment should be intact. A torn or missing tag is evidence of a garment of inferior quality, one that probably would not meet the stringent quality standards put in place by the College Football Playoff and participating teams.
  • 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.

Fans are encouraged to follow the above guidelines when shopping for merchandise online as well, since many counterfeiters target fans via social media and other online outlets.

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 through the direct provision of resources, professional development and training, teacher recognition and the support of a college-going culture. Sales of officially licensed CFP merchandise have generated more than $8 million for Extra Yard for Teachers since its inception in 2015.

 

About the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 seed vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Friday, December 31, 2021, at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl and Capital One Orange Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 10, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

Media Contact:

Tammy Purves, CLC, tammy.purves@clc.com

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