ATLANTA, Georgia (January 10, 2020) – As the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers prepare to face off in the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship Game, CLC, the nation’s leading collegiate trademark licensing agency, is working with the CFP and university officials to protect visitors and fans by addressing potential counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise.

CLC, the exclusive licensing agent for the CFP, Clemson University, and LSU will work closely with investigators to patrol the areas around the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in search of counterfeiters selling “knock-off” merchandise.

“Our enforcement officials will be working to detract potential counterfeiters looking to capitalize on the passionate fans supporting 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 been committed partners in developing approved merchandise.”

Enforcement efforts surrounding the CFP began at the two CFP Semifinals at the Playstation® Fiesta Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

“Providing quality, licensed merchandise as a memento of the game is just one way that we strive to deliver a great experience for the participating teams and their fans,” 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 deter 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, Clemson, and LSU 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, Clemson, and LSU. 

• 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.

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 Northwestern Mutual. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Saturday, December 28, 2019, at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 13, 2020, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For more information, please contact:

Tammy Purves – tammy.purves@clc.com