Fake soccer shirt sellers face nightmare with Premier League membership’s ‘inconceivable to repeat’ tech
Those scamming football fans with fake shirts are now up against Brentford FC’s innovative technology, identifying authentic match-worn shirts through your phone
Brentford FC has made waves in the world of football, becoming the first team to introduce new tech to stop fake footie shirts being sold.
Fabricks is an industry-changing NFC technology that can be used directly on players’ match-worn shirts, allowing collectors of memorabilia and football fans to digitally check the authenticity of the shirt.
The helpful tech works by tapping the heat-pressed chip with a smartphone to provide a digital certificate which provides details of the shirt’s authenticity and originality. Not only this, but it stores information on the details of that particular match-worn shirt.
This is a secure and interactive feature added to each collectible which will aid in battling the high demands of sports memorabilia. The technology will also make a significant impact on clubs who value authenticity and the traceability of match-worn products.
Brentford FC have announced the beginning of their long-term partnership with Fabricks’, the sister company to MatchWornShirt, which will allow fans the opportunity to own shirts that come straight off the pitch and into their hands. Thanks to Fabrick’s new innovation being applied to every Brentford shirt before each match, fans can have the permanent reassurance of match-worn shirts with guaranteed digital authenticity.
Adam Ward, Head of Partnership Services of Brentford FC, commented: “We’re delighted to collaborate with Fabricks and become the first-ever English club to introduce this groundbreaking verification technology, bringing a fresh and dynamic element to our MatchWornShirt auctions.”
He went on to explain: “Brentford’s match-worn and signed shirts, complete with Fabricks authenticity, will only be available through auctions on the MatchWornShirt platform. The club’s proceeds from these auctions are donated to the Heart of West London initiative, a partnership between Brentford FC and several charities and organisations campaigning to improve cardiac health in the local community.”
This will come into place from the West London team’s Premier League match against Everton on Wednesday 26th February. Meaning, every player-issued Brentford shirt will contain the heat-pressed technology on the shirt’s fabric.
Tijmen Zonderwijk, founder of MatchWornShirt and Fabricks, shared: “We understand that counterfeit shirts are a problem for fans, collectors and clubs. That’s why we have developed Fabricks, an innovative technology using NFC (Near Field Communication) to guarantee the authenticity of every Brentford shirt sold via the MatchWornShirt website and app, reassuring fans, collectors and clubs that their memorabilia is 100% genuine.
“Fabricks is a unique digital certificate of authenticity, providing fans match details, player stats and performance metrics, which cannot be replicated and guarantees the product’s identity.” Other teams, such as PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord and RSC Anderlecht, are amongst the clubs that have adopted the use of the innovation.
