Adidas410s
05-30-2006, 10:33 AM
Phony tickets can fake out Suns fans
Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Arizona Republic
May. 28, 2006 12:00 AM
As Phoenix Suns fever heats up in the Western Conference finals, NBA officials warn consumers not to get burned by counterfeit merchandise and tickets.
The league urges consumers to look for officially licensed T-shirts, caps and other gear. And when it comes to buying tickets from street hawkers, think twice, officials say.
"What's interesting for residents in the Phoenix area is there's a real increase in counterfeit merchandise around a hot market event like the conference finals," said Ayala Deutsch, senior vice president and chief intellectual property counsel for NBA Properties.
She estimates the loss in revenue to the league from bootlegged merchandise and tickets is in the millions of dollars each year. The loss to consumers, she said, is in shoddy quality merchandise. As for counterfeit tickets, the cost is more obvious: cash spent and no way to see the event in person.
Although reputable ticket scalpers might be found in designated areas around US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix where the Suns play, not all can be trusted.
Just ask Bill Smith, owner of Stoudemire's Downtown, a restaurant across from the basketball arena. Smith was removing a scalper from his restaurant before Game 5 of the Suns-Los Angeles Clippers series when he realized he needed two tickets. The scalper was asking $115 apiece for the tickets. Smith gave him $150 for the pair and went to the game with his wife. But when he arrived at the arena, the ticket-taker scanned the bar codes and discovered they were stolen.
Out $150 and the tickets, Smith went to a longtime friend who scalps tickets and got a new, valid set.
"It was the first time I ever bought tickets from a scalper," Smith said.
Fans at Majerle's Sports Grill watching Game 2 of the Suns-Dallas Mavericks match- up Friday had varied opinions about buying tickets and merchandise off the street.
Darren Doran, who works for a steel manufacturer in Phoenix, said he wouldn't hesitate to buy a scalped ticket.
Matt Talamantez, who lives on the Gila River Reservation, was more leery as he watched the game on TV.
"I wouldn't trust it (buying from a scalper) because I know of people who've gotten burned," he said.
That's a risk team officials say is unnecessary.
"I'm not saying every ticket being resold is a stolen ticket, but you have no idea," said John Walker, Suns' senior vice president of business development. "It looks like, feels like and is the original ticket that's been produced by the Suns, but it may be stolen."
Tickets bought online and printed on 8½- by 11-inch paper also shouldn't be trusted because they can be printed multiple times.
"It's which one gets scanned into the facility first" that gets through the doors, Walker said.
The only way to be sure of a ticket's authenticity, he said, is to buy it directly from the Suns, Ticketmaster or through the Suns' season ticket holder ticket exchange. Games 3 and 4 of the Suns-Mavericks series are sold out, but the ticket-exchange site at www.suns.com on Saturday listed more than 400 seats available for tonight's game.
Fans shopped for Suns paraphernalia Saturday at the Suns Team Shop. Street vendors selling Suns gear downtown were nowhere to be found.
Alan Fey, owner of XP Events, which operates the Suns Team Shop, said he understands why consumers may not care about the authenticity of licensed gear.
"Maybe they don't (care), but goods you buy from a reputable source withstand wear and washing."
Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Arizona Republic
May. 28, 2006 12:00 AM
As Phoenix Suns fever heats up in the Western Conference finals, NBA officials warn consumers not to get burned by counterfeit merchandise and tickets.
The league urges consumers to look for officially licensed T-shirts, caps and other gear. And when it comes to buying tickets from street hawkers, think twice, officials say.
"What's interesting for residents in the Phoenix area is there's a real increase in counterfeit merchandise around a hot market event like the conference finals," said Ayala Deutsch, senior vice president and chief intellectual property counsel for NBA Properties.
She estimates the loss in revenue to the league from bootlegged merchandise and tickets is in the millions of dollars each year. The loss to consumers, she said, is in shoddy quality merchandise. As for counterfeit tickets, the cost is more obvious: cash spent and no way to see the event in person.
Although reputable ticket scalpers might be found in designated areas around US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix where the Suns play, not all can be trusted.
Just ask Bill Smith, owner of Stoudemire's Downtown, a restaurant across from the basketball arena. Smith was removing a scalper from his restaurant before Game 5 of the Suns-Los Angeles Clippers series when he realized he needed two tickets. The scalper was asking $115 apiece for the tickets. Smith gave him $150 for the pair and went to the game with his wife. But when he arrived at the arena, the ticket-taker scanned the bar codes and discovered they were stolen.
Out $150 and the tickets, Smith went to a longtime friend who scalps tickets and got a new, valid set.
"It was the first time I ever bought tickets from a scalper," Smith said.
Fans at Majerle's Sports Grill watching Game 2 of the Suns-Dallas Mavericks match- up Friday had varied opinions about buying tickets and merchandise off the street.
Darren Doran, who works for a steel manufacturer in Phoenix, said he wouldn't hesitate to buy a scalped ticket.
Matt Talamantez, who lives on the Gila River Reservation, was more leery as he watched the game on TV.
"I wouldn't trust it (buying from a scalper) because I know of people who've gotten burned," he said.
That's a risk team officials say is unnecessary.
"I'm not saying every ticket being resold is a stolen ticket, but you have no idea," said John Walker, Suns' senior vice president of business development. "It looks like, feels like and is the original ticket that's been produced by the Suns, but it may be stolen."
Tickets bought online and printed on 8½- by 11-inch paper also shouldn't be trusted because they can be printed multiple times.
"It's which one gets scanned into the facility first" that gets through the doors, Walker said.
The only way to be sure of a ticket's authenticity, he said, is to buy it directly from the Suns, Ticketmaster or through the Suns' season ticket holder ticket exchange. Games 3 and 4 of the Suns-Mavericks series are sold out, but the ticket-exchange site at www.suns.com on Saturday listed more than 400 seats available for tonight's game.
Fans shopped for Suns paraphernalia Saturday at the Suns Team Shop. Street vendors selling Suns gear downtown were nowhere to be found.
Alan Fey, owner of XP Events, which operates the Suns Team Shop, said he understands why consumers may not care about the authenticity of licensed gear.
"Maybe they don't (care), but goods you buy from a reputable source withstand wear and washing."