Sports Update
Real or Emmitt-ation?
By Darren Urban, Tribune
The television commercial, for a credit card’s signature verification service, has a bunch of people — from a little old lady to the fat guy from down the street — proclaiming “I am Emmitt Smith.”
It’s a premise Smith knows isn’t limited to a fictitious advertisement.
Smith was once walking in a California mall when he came upon a sports memorabilia shop that had a Dallas Cowboys helmet. The helmet, featuring Smith’s autograph, was priced around $700.
Except Smith knew immediately it wasn’t his signature.
Smith asked the man at the counter how he knew it was real, and was told there were certificates of authenticity.
“Well, I am here to tell you it’s not real,” Smith told the man.
“How do you know?”
“Because I know the guy who signed it,” Smith answered.
“How can you tell it’s not his signature?”
“Because,” Smith said, “I didn’t write it.”
Smith pulled out his identification to prove he was indeed Emmitt Smith. Then Smith called NFL security to crack down on the forgery.
The newest Arizona Cardinals running back has made his name as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. The savvy Smith has made it his business to protect that name.
Smith, who said he understood the power of his autograph about the time he did his first signing show as an NFL player, has tried to make sure people can easily distinguish between his real signatures and the fakes.
And while Smith is willing to sign a piece of paper or a hat for fans, items that become memorabilia — among them, helmets, jerseys and footballs — must be tagged with a computer chip from a company called WeTrak. The chip can track the item through its life, can show if it has been stolen or can prove its authenticity.
“It’s peace of mind,” Smith said. “That’s what this system is really about.”
WETRAK-ING HISTORY
In 2000, when the FBI cracked a memorabilia fraud ring and seized thousands of items alledgedly signed by athletes and other celebrities, authorities said at least half of such collectibles were fake.
Ron White, general manager of the Field of Dreams memorabilia shop in Scottsdale’s Fashion Square mall, said in his parent company’s dealings with the FBI, they were told between 85 percent and 90 percent of Internet items are bogus.
That makes sense to Smith, who said he once pulled up 20 non-WeTraked items on eBay. Of the 20, Smith said one might have been real. Two others would have taken further study. The other 17 were obvious forgeries, with bids totaling in the thousands.
“And (the bidding) was still going up,” Smith said. “So many people getting ripped off.”
WeTrak founder Tommy Davis originally tested his product in jerseys of St. Louis Rams players Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk to see if the tag would stand up to multiple washings. The company, based in St. Louis, went live in July of 2002.
Davis met Smith through a friendship with a Rams’ equipment manager, who knew a Cowboys equipment guy. At the time, Smith wanted to protect the collectibles created through his quest for the NFL rushing record.
Since then, not only are items that Smith signs tagged with a chip, but so is most of the equipment Smith wears. Even the practice jersey hanging in Smith’s Cardinals’ locker is tagged for theft prevention and to ensure future value.
A collector can log on to the company’s Web site — WeTrak.com — to plug in an item’s WeTrak number and get the particulars of the piece.
“WeTrak is not the memorabilia police,” Davis said. “(But) this is about integrity.”
The cost to WeTrak an item varies on a case-by-case basis, said Davis, who declined to give specific prices for WeTrak.
“It’s not an extra step,” said Smith’s business manager, Werner Scott. “It’s really the right step.”
DOLLARS AND SENSE
While the Cardinals were conducting their draft April 26 and 27, Smith was in Atlantic City as the centerpiece to a big-name autograph show.
An autograph from Smith cost $325. To have a piece of memorabilia signed like a full-size helmet, jersey or shoes, it was $400. That didn’t include the cost of the mandatory WeTrak chip.
By comparison, to get a helmet signed by Jerry Rice at the same show was $180. For Barry Sanders it was $175. For Kurt Warner $170.
White said Smith’s memorabilia is among the most expensive on the market. Just before Smith was released by the Cowboys in February, the Dallas Morning News said a signed Smith helmet at a Dallas Field of Dreams store went for $899. A signed football went for $599. A signed jersey was priced at $1,499.
With those prices, it made for a rare opportunity May 3 at the Cardinals’ FanFest held at the team’s Tempe complex. Smith signed autographs, including collectibles, during a prepractice session like the rest of his teammates. WeTrak was there to tag the items.
But the Cardinals picked up the cost of the WeTrak, meaning fans got for free what just the week previous cost hundreds of dollars.
“Emmitt has been really gracious,” said Ron Minegar, the Cardinals’ vice president of marketing and sales. “It’s going to be fun to see this (relationship) evolve.”
Minegar said it has been a smooth start to the marriage between the Cardinals, Smith and Smith’s business interests. The Cardinals, Minegar admitted, have never had someone of this stature on the roster.
“I heard somewhere that Emmitt is NFL royalty,” Minegar said. “That’s pretty accurate.”
Smith said he has intentionally limited his autographed pieces over the years. White said while he had never attended a Smith signing, it was his understanding Smith only signed 200 to 300 pieces at each show.
“But then you see all this stuff on the Web and think, ‘Where does it call come from?’ ” White said. “It’s like a money counterfeiter who does $100 bills instead of $10 bills. Why forge Jake Plummer when you can forge Emmitt Smith?”
The WeTrak system is working, Smith said. It makes for some disappointed fans when he is forced to decline certain autograph requests.
Then again, Smith said, the true fan shouldn’t be upset if he only offers to sign a piece of paper or something else small.
“You have to ask the question: Do you really want my signature or do you really want to do something else with it?” Smith said.
Smith freely admits the system he has in place, from the WeTrak to the careful parceling of his autograph time, means he will make more money.
In the end, though, he said it is also worth more to whoever is getting the collectible.
“The person buying it can buy it from the investment standpoint and turn around and flip it later,” Smith said. “The value of the item you just purchased today 10 years from now can be worth twice as much.
“So who benefits? Everyone benefits. It’s win-win.”
http://www.arizonatribune.com/index.php?sty=4401
Real or Emmitt-ation?
By Darren Urban, Tribune
The television commercial, for a credit card’s signature verification service, has a bunch of people — from a little old lady to the fat guy from down the street — proclaiming “I am Emmitt Smith.”
It’s a premise Smith knows isn’t limited to a fictitious advertisement.
Smith was once walking in a California mall when he came upon a sports memorabilia shop that had a Dallas Cowboys helmet. The helmet, featuring Smith’s autograph, was priced around $700.
Except Smith knew immediately it wasn’t his signature.
Smith asked the man at the counter how he knew it was real, and was told there were certificates of authenticity.
“Well, I am here to tell you it’s not real,” Smith told the man.
“How do you know?”
“Because I know the guy who signed it,” Smith answered.
“How can you tell it’s not his signature?”
“Because,” Smith said, “I didn’t write it.”
Smith pulled out his identification to prove he was indeed Emmitt Smith. Then Smith called NFL security to crack down on the forgery.
The newest Arizona Cardinals running back has made his name as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. The savvy Smith has made it his business to protect that name.
Smith, who said he understood the power of his autograph about the time he did his first signing show as an NFL player, has tried to make sure people can easily distinguish between his real signatures and the fakes.
And while Smith is willing to sign a piece of paper or a hat for fans, items that become memorabilia — among them, helmets, jerseys and footballs — must be tagged with a computer chip from a company called WeTrak. The chip can track the item through its life, can show if it has been stolen or can prove its authenticity.
“It’s peace of mind,” Smith said. “That’s what this system is really about.”
WETRAK-ING HISTORY
In 2000, when the FBI cracked a memorabilia fraud ring and seized thousands of items alledgedly signed by athletes and other celebrities, authorities said at least half of such collectibles were fake.
Ron White, general manager of the Field of Dreams memorabilia shop in Scottsdale’s Fashion Square mall, said in his parent company’s dealings with the FBI, they were told between 85 percent and 90 percent of Internet items are bogus.
That makes sense to Smith, who said he once pulled up 20 non-WeTraked items on eBay. Of the 20, Smith said one might have been real. Two others would have taken further study. The other 17 were obvious forgeries, with bids totaling in the thousands.
“And (the bidding) was still going up,” Smith said. “So many people getting ripped off.”
WeTrak founder Tommy Davis originally tested his product in jerseys of St. Louis Rams players Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk to see if the tag would stand up to multiple washings. The company, based in St. Louis, went live in July of 2002.
Davis met Smith through a friendship with a Rams’ equipment manager, who knew a Cowboys equipment guy. At the time, Smith wanted to protect the collectibles created through his quest for the NFL rushing record.
Since then, not only are items that Smith signs tagged with a chip, but so is most of the equipment Smith wears. Even the practice jersey hanging in Smith’s Cardinals’ locker is tagged for theft prevention and to ensure future value.
A collector can log on to the company’s Web site — WeTrak.com — to plug in an item’s WeTrak number and get the particulars of the piece.
“WeTrak is not the memorabilia police,” Davis said. “(But) this is about integrity.”
The cost to WeTrak an item varies on a case-by-case basis, said Davis, who declined to give specific prices for WeTrak.
“It’s not an extra step,” said Smith’s business manager, Werner Scott. “It’s really the right step.”
DOLLARS AND SENSE
While the Cardinals were conducting their draft April 26 and 27, Smith was in Atlantic City as the centerpiece to a big-name autograph show.
An autograph from Smith cost $325. To have a piece of memorabilia signed like a full-size helmet, jersey or shoes, it was $400. That didn’t include the cost of the mandatory WeTrak chip.
By comparison, to get a helmet signed by Jerry Rice at the same show was $180. For Barry Sanders it was $175. For Kurt Warner $170.
White said Smith’s memorabilia is among the most expensive on the market. Just before Smith was released by the Cowboys in February, the Dallas Morning News said a signed Smith helmet at a Dallas Field of Dreams store went for $899. A signed football went for $599. A signed jersey was priced at $1,499.
With those prices, it made for a rare opportunity May 3 at the Cardinals’ FanFest held at the team’s Tempe complex. Smith signed autographs, including collectibles, during a prepractice session like the rest of his teammates. WeTrak was there to tag the items.
But the Cardinals picked up the cost of the WeTrak, meaning fans got for free what just the week previous cost hundreds of dollars.
“Emmitt has been really gracious,” said Ron Minegar, the Cardinals’ vice president of marketing and sales. “It’s going to be fun to see this (relationship) evolve.”
Minegar said it has been a smooth start to the marriage between the Cardinals, Smith and Smith’s business interests. The Cardinals, Minegar admitted, have never had someone of this stature on the roster.
“I heard somewhere that Emmitt is NFL royalty,” Minegar said. “That’s pretty accurate.”
Smith said he has intentionally limited his autographed pieces over the years. White said while he had never attended a Smith signing, it was his understanding Smith only signed 200 to 300 pieces at each show.
“But then you see all this stuff on the Web and think, ‘Where does it call come from?’ ” White said. “It’s like a money counterfeiter who does $100 bills instead of $10 bills. Why forge Jake Plummer when you can forge Emmitt Smith?”
The WeTrak system is working, Smith said. It makes for some disappointed fans when he is forced to decline certain autograph requests.
Then again, Smith said, the true fan shouldn’t be upset if he only offers to sign a piece of paper or something else small.
“You have to ask the question: Do you really want my signature or do you really want to do something else with it?” Smith said.
Smith freely admits the system he has in place, from the WeTrak to the careful parceling of his autograph time, means he will make more money.
In the end, though, he said it is also worth more to whoever is getting the collectible.
“The person buying it can buy it from the investment standpoint and turn around and flip it later,” Smith said. “The value of the item you just purchased today 10 years from now can be worth twice as much.
“So who benefits? Everyone benefits. It’s win-win.”
http://www.arizonatribune.com/index.php?sty=4401
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