The black market in counterfeit golf equipment costs manufacturer up to $6.5 Billion a year.

Source:  Josh Sens, “The $6 Billion Scam: Inside the Battle to Shut Down Golf’s Black Market,” Golf, June 25, 2010.

In the 2002 World Cup held in South Korea and Japan, authorities seized more than 3 million World Cup counterfeit goods before and during the tournament.

Source:  International Authentication Association, “World Cup fakes war could be won with penalties,” Counterfeiting Confidential, April 2010.

In South Africa, site of the 2010 World Cup, $13 Million of counterfeit jerseys were seized by authorities in the first 5 months of 2010.

Source:  AFP, “Fake World Cup jerseys hit S.African streets,” Independent, May 11, 2010.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that more than 4,000 pieces of counterfeit NBA items worth an estimated $200,000 was seized during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Dallas, Texas.

Source:  Associated Press, “Nearly $200,000 in fake NBA gear seized,” NBC Sports, February 15, 2010.

The United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement reported that in the month leading up to the 2010 Super Bowl in South Florida, agents seized 8,165 counterfeit Super Bowl memorabilia worth an estimated $400,000.

Source:  Michael David Smith, “Feds seize $400,000 in counterfeit Super Bowl memorabilia,” Pro Football Talk, February 18, 2010.

At the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, US Customs seized 15,653 counterfeit items worth $1,826,562.

At the 2008 Super Bowl in Arizona, US Customs seized 10,212 counterfeit items worth $542,120.

Source:  Megan Chuchmach, “Super Bowl Fans: Watch Out for Counterfeit NFL Goods,” ABC News, February 5, 2010.

In 2005, sports apparel maker Columbia Sportswear seized 250,000 counterfeit pieces of clothing.

Source: Laura Palotie and Alexandra Zendrian, “Attack of the $35 Gucci Handbag,” INC, April 29, 2008.

In 2007, Major League Baseball discovered 3,000 incidents of illegal live-streaming of its games over the Internet.

In 2008, over 5,000 incidents were discovered by Major League Baseball.

Source:  Tim Arango, “Online piracy menaces pro sports,” New York Times, December 29, 2008.

Acushnet, maker of the Titleist Golf Balls, spends more than $2 Million a year on anti-counterfeiting operations.

Between January and August of 2008, the company shut down over 10,500 Internet auctions of counterfeit golf balls bearing its logo.

Source:  Jenn Abelson, “Grim competition with counterfeiters,” Boston Globe, August 21, 2008.

New Era, makers of the Official Major League Baseball caps, spends $1.5 Million a year on its anti-counterfeiting operations.

In 2008, the companies was shutting down between 2,000 to 4,000 Internet auctions every week because of the sites were selling counterfeit baseball caps.

In the first half of 2008, 176, 453 fake caps were seized worth a street value of over $7 Million.

Source:  David Bertola, “New Era stays on top of fake lids,” Buffalo Business First, June 20, 2008.