OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 Fans coming to Oxford for the 2016 football season are advised to be cautious of vendors selling T-shirts and other merchandise on the streets and anywhere other than official university outlets.<\/p>\n
University of Mississippi officials noted several “rogue” vendors selling illegal T-shirts, some featuring vulgar language, before previous games at Ole Miss, said Kathy Tidwell, UM manager of contractual services. University police officers confiscated the merchandise and asked the vendors to leave campus.<\/p>\n
Selling unlicensed and\/or counterfeit university merchandise is illegal. Fans who see someone selling illegal T-shirts or other merchandise are asked to contact the University Police Department.<\/p>\n
“We get royalties from the sale of officially licensed products that help support student scholarships and enhance various initiatives on campus,” Tidwell said. “We don’t get anything from this illegal merchandise. Also, some of these counterfeit items actually cast the university in a bad light and don’t portray Ole Miss in a flattering manner.”<\/p>\n
Tidwell offered some tips for fans who want to buy shirts and other game day merchandise:<\/p>\n
– All officially licensed merchandise should display the “Officially Licensed Collegiate Products” hologram on the product or hangtag.<\/p>\n
– The merchandise should depict UM logos and marks in a tasteful manner,\u00a0as Ole Miss does not approve distasteful designs.<\/p>\n
– 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.<\/p>\n
– All merchandise should have the appropriate trademark designations next to a specific name or design.<\/p>\n
Trademark infringement violates state and federal laws, including criminal laws. Penalties vary depending on the extent of the violation, but can include confiscation of the product and equipment used to make it, fines and even jail time for more serious violations. Confiscated product is eventually destroyed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"