In the third instalment of our series on the rise of counterfeit football shirts, we take to the streets to see if the public can visually tell the difference between our authentic and counterfeit kits. At Casino Kings, we wanted to understand the aesthetic appeal of real vs fake football jerseys in the eyes of the people buying them.
This question looms large for clubs and kit manufacturers alike, as many fans report being priced out of buying official merchandise. But with the rising popularity of counterfeit kits, are these dupes convincing enough to trick fans on sight alone? How do you spot a fake football kit?
Armed with six counterfeit football shirts and their official counterparts, we took the kits to Northampton, where we conducted a visual test with 112 football fans. Our goal wasn’t just to see if they could spot the real from the fake—it was to understand how closely these counterfeits mimic the original designs to the average consumer.
The A/B Test
Outside of Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium for a match against Crawley on October 26th, and again on Northampton High Street on October 27th, we asked fans to pick the genuine shirts from a side-by-side comparison of the Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Manchester United kits. They had only five seconds to choose based purely on visuals—no touching, feeling, or inspecting allowed.
We also showed fake versions of the Inter Miami, Brazil, and Juventus shirts separately and asked fans whether they thought these were genuine or counterfeit. Some fans initially worried that we might be selling counterfeit kits, but most quickly warmed to the challenge.
First Impressions: Real vs Fake Football Shirts
At first glance, many participants found distinguishing between the real and fake football kits difficult. Most fans commented on slight colour mismatches or noticed minor alignment issues in the badges, but the general feedback was that these counterfeits looked impressively close to the originals.
The results? Let’s just say that they might make uncomfortable reading for clubs and manufacturers who hope their designs stand out from counterfeits.
Key Results from the A/B Test
Liverpool Shirt
Only 67% of fans correctly identified the real shirt, meaning nearly one-third believed the counterfeit to be genuine one!
Real Madrid Shirt
76% picked the real shirt, but almost a quarter went with the fake.
Manchester United Shirt
81% guessed correctly, though 1 in 5 still chose the counterfeit as the official version.
Overall, our A/B testing showed that only 74.6% of fans correctly identified the genuine shirts. This raises an uncomfortable question: if around one in four fans are easily fooled by a counterfeit next to the official shirt, how much value are they losing by not buying official merchandise?
How Did Fans Do on Spotting the Obvious Fakes?
When it came to the Inter Miami, Brazil, and Juventus shirts, where fans were simply asked if they thought the shirt was real or fake, the results were mixed:
- Inter Miami: 80% identified the counterfeit as fake.
- Brazil Home Shirt: Only 56% thought it was fake.
- Juventus Shirt: 74% called it out as counterfeit.
Across this test, about 70.6% of participants identified these fakes correctly. Yet the 44% who missed the Brazil shirt highlights just how convincingly close some counterfeit kits are coming to the originals.
What Does this Mean for Parents and Fans?
With almost a quarter of fans unable to consistently spot the genuine product, the appeal of a cheaper alternative becomes even clearer. As official kit prices continue to climb—often outpacing inflation—many fans may feel that the premium they pay isn’t necessarily reflected in a visibly superior product. For parents, this visual ambiguity between real and fake kits could make choosing between official and counterfeit even more challenging, especially when balancing household budgets.
What’s Next?
Next, we’ll get a football kit connoisseur to see if they can spot the difference. Will the fakes prove to be an own goal in the expert’s eyes?
Viewing Part 3 of 8 in our 'A Tale Of Two Shirts' Series
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Hit Or Miss? Can The Public Tell the Difference? |
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