Super Bowl Bust: Feds Grab 307 NFL Websites; $4.8M 198
coondoggie writes "Speaking at a National Football League press conference ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said special agents this week seized a total of 307 websites and snatched up 42,692 items of phony Super Bowl-related memorabilia along with other counterfeit items for a total take of more than $4.8 million – up from $3.72 million last year."
China (Score:5, Insightful)
And nobody made any more money... (Score:2, Insightful)
It's unclear what, if any, effect these seizures have on the economy.
Doesn't this prove... (Score:4, Insightful)
...that the curren laws are enough to fight counterfeits?
great use of our tax money (Score:5, Insightful)
More bad news? (Score:5, Insightful)
ACTA? (Score:5, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Next time you get burgalized... (Score:2, Insightful)
Remember.. it is just your property that has been taken. It wasnt murder, drugs or anything violent.
Re:great use of our tax money (Score:5, Insightful)
Another way of looking at it... thousands of jobs have been destroyed
Thousands of criminal jobs...
so that the uber-rich NFL owners can snatch even more money from the commoners.
Those commoners are going to spend the money. Getting rid of the fake websites doesn't mean more people will spend more money, it only changes who they spend it with. Do you think it is better that they wind up with something that has no value should they ever try to resell it? You hate the rich so much that you'll throw your fellow citizen to the wolves who are making fake goods and selling them at real prices?
At what cost? (Score:4, Insightful)
The feds spent $X to seize $Y of counterfeit goods that, if they entered the market, might have reduced NFL revenues by $Z.
Y >> Z is definitely true (the guy willing to pay $10 for the counterfeit, might not pay $50 for the authentic).
I seriously doubt X < Z.
The Obama Administration's Priorities (Score:5, Insightful)
Taking down domains without a trial, secretly negotiating international IP treaties (ACTA), threatening American ISPs into adopting a "six strikes" policy...
Judging by its actions, IP enforcement is clearly the Obama Administration's top priority. Is it corruption, or is it just plain disregard for justice and the due process of law?
Re:If... (Score:3, Insightful)
I think throwing money at a sports game and the genetic (or chemically enhanced) freak of natures (players) is a complete waste of money, but it's entertainment dollars, and I'm sure I spend that on other stuff that sports fans probably think is a waste of time in their opinion. Either way, it doesn't reduce the debt, doesn't feed the hungry, doesn't clothe the poor.
0.1% (Score:5, Insightful)
NFL revenue is about 4 billion. Clearly this is not a threat to their business.
The FBI needs to have it's budget cut if this is the best thing they can do. I mean 4 million is one SUV full of cocaine.
Yeah yea, the feds being bullies (Score:5, Insightful)
It's just a game. No more dignified then tiddlywinks, starcraft, or mumbley-peg. The NFL got the FEDS to bust up counterfeiters? For $4.8 million in loot? Really?
Come on guys, get a grip. I'd like to say that nobody cares how "your team" did, but sadly I can't. All I can say is nobody should really care. It's an activity that does not warrant caring.
Re:China (Score:4, Insightful)
I'd almost bet a testicle that the resources used to acquire these goods was far more than $4.8M.
Our taxes bought this trash on behalf of private industry---- why?
Re:great use of our tax money (Score:5, Insightful)
Not to mention that apparently the Super Bowl is enough of a national treasure to spend tens of millions of dollars in law enforcement, but not enough of a national treasure that it belongs to the citizens of the USA.
So we all get to pay for protecting it but only a select few are allowed to profit off of it. More privatizing of profits while socializing the costs.
Re:China (Score:5, Insightful)
Not that I support this kind of action, but it at least proves that bills like SOPA are unnecessary. Rights-holders already have a legal means to deal with infringers. It may be inefficient, but I think most slashdotters would agree that's preferable to the alternative.
Re:China (Score:5, Insightful)
and I'd like to know when the copyright, trademark holders will be getting a bill for the government's services.
Re:China (Score:2, Insightful)
Ha, ha. No. I promise you it's not just about actual counterfeits. [nfl.com] I know precious little about American football (and I have no intention of learning more), but one thing that is apparent is that the NFL, moreso than any of the other national sports leagues, is obsessive about controlling anything that might be linked to a team. If you want to show that you're a fan, either you made your memorabilia yourself, or you bought it from an approved vendor; there is nothing in between. No vague cultural links are permitted. It's like Righthaven, only without the whole "hilariously tragic disbarment forever" part, because they have money and cultural clout, and Righthaven did not.
It's not a waste of time, it's an IP-related evil comparable to the MAFIAA.
Re:China (Score:2, Insightful)
and I'd like to know when the copyright, trademark holders will be getting a bill for the government's services.
So could this be, "I'd like to know when the rape, murder and theft victims will be getting a bill for the government's services" when the perpetrators are captured??
Counterfeiting is a serious crime. There is no problem if someone makes "football" shirts or running shoes. There is a problem when you start to use someone else's brand to push your goods. That's illegal. It's akin of someone else using your name to get a mortgage on their house.
This stuff is done FOR PROFIT. This is not some fans stitching together an NFL logo on their shirts.
Re:China (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd like to know why any of you think it's important for the government to make a profit when it comes to law enforcement.
This retarded mindset is the reason we have speed traps everywhere.
Re:great use of our tax money (Score:2, Insightful)
What makes you assume the pirate shirt is inferior? The real jerseys and the fake ones both come from some place in China. As if one is hand made by skilled chinese jersey artisans and the other is loosely pieced together by unskilled slave laborers from bits of dryer lint or something.
They're made on nearly identical machines in China. the difference between them is may be the tag on the back, and the quality of the silkscreen, That's probably it.
Re:China (Score:5, Insightful)
On a related note, I wonder if Slashdot paid for the rights to use the term "Super Bowl" - the NFL defends that term pretty vigorously. This is why places that have, for example, televisions on sale this week have signs up that say, "Get your new TV for the big game!" Grocery stores refer to food for the "big game" party. And so on.
The other day, I even heard a DJ on Sirius (satellite radio) saying he wasn't sure what he could say in regards to the game. The odd part is that Sirius will be carrying the game, so even within companies that ARE actually affiliated with the NFL, it's not clear.