South Miami News August 3 2010

Page 10

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM

August 3 - 9, 2010

In midst of Heat enthusiasm beware bogus merchandise

Al Sunshine 4 YOUR MONEY

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Tip off for the Miami Heat’s highly anticipated 2010-11 season is just a couple of months away, and while fans are expecting a new sports dynasty in Miami, they’re already hitting their local team stores and purchasing expensive team merchandise.

It’s important to be careful and make sure that all of the merchandise you purchase is official Miami Heat gear. To find out what’s available, all you have to do is check out the Internet to see all sorts of Miami Heat merchandise.

I went down to the Heat’s Miami headquarters to meet with the team’s marketing director, Michael McCullough. We looked at all the Heat merchandise for sale on the Internet and McCullough was surprised to see the latest Heat giveaway for sale on eBay. “Wow, that’s pretty good,� he marveled. “Someone’s selling the poster we gave away for free at the welcome event for $31.�

Several days later, I found another of the free posters described as a “very rare picture� with a “Buy Now� price of $199.

However what you see may not always be what you get according to the Heat’s VP. We found a T-shirt for sale online with a picture of the “Three Kings of Miami,� but the T-shirt wasn’t legitimate.

“We did not create this shirt,�

McCullough told me. “We didn’t create anything like this with the image of the three guys just yet.�

I asked him: “In your opinion, is this a counterfeit knockoff?� “That is definitely a knock-off without question,� he replied.

We also found so-called autographed pictures on eBay supposedly featuring the “Three Kings of Miami� signatures. “I’m not sure where they picked up the signatures, or if the signatures are accurate or not,� McCullough cautioned. “But I don’t believe this is a legitimate piece of merchandise.�

The Heat’s marketing director said the bulk of the latest Heat merchandise now being sold online is not approved by the team or the NBA. So how do you know you are getting legitimate merchandise? The Heat wants its fans to know that their official NBA approved merchandise carries special 3D holograms and official NBA logos to guarantee their authenticity. And only authorized vendors are allowed to sell the Heat’s official merchandise.

Heat officials tell me the NBA is very much aware of all the bogus Heat merchandise being sold all over the country now. Don’t be surprised if the problem gets even worse as the 2010-11 season approaches, and the Miami Heat start making NBA History.

Watch Al Sunshine’s “4 Your Money� reports Monday-Friday beginning at noon.

You may find Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog at <www.cbs4.com/4yourmoney>.

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