Sony Music’s Benson Boone Bootleg Merch Crackdown Intensifies

Some of the allegedly infringing Benson Boone merch seized by Ceremony of Roses outside one of the artist’s shows. Photo Credit: Digital Music News

Sony Music’s Ceremony of Roses is ramping up its campaign targeting alleged Benson Boone merch bootleggers. Now, a judge has approved a preliminary injunction and seizure order, while sellers themselves are being confronted outside concerts.

Judge Analisa Torres signed off on the injunction and seizure order yesterday, after the plaintiff levied the suit in late August. As we covered then, Ceremony of Roses is looking to put the kibosh on unauthorized merch sales at stops on Boone’s ongoing American Heart Tour.

And as part of the inherently involved effort, VP of tour Alan Sitchon, acting under a prior temporary restraining order and seizure green light, has apparently been on hand at (or at least around) the appropriate concerts. In a nutshell, the higher-up told the court that allegedly infringing merch had been recovered from sellers.

Not stopping there, Sitchon attached photos of the alleged bootleggers – their far-from-thrilled expressions won’t come as a surprise – and the confiscated items.

Judging by the pictures, said items don’t appear to be anything special. But particularly when genuine merch costs an arm and a leg, there’s evidently adequate room and incentive for third parties to move allegedly infringing products.

“Most shirts are printed on second quality garments; we know that because the manufacturer splits the tags, draws lines through tags, and/or removes their tag identifier,” Sitchon indicated of the confiscated Boone t-shirts. “This is done by manufacturers when they are not first quality goods, and they are sold for substantially less than first quality goods.”

Back to the preliminary injunction and seizure order, the defendants are now barred from, among other things, selling “any clothing or other merchandise” bearing Boone’s trademarks.

Furthermore, Ceremony of Roses has quite a bit of enforcement weight under the order. Members of law enforcement in any district throughout the U.S. can “seize and impound any and all infringing merchandise bearing” Boone’s trademarks, the document spells out.

Evidence suggests that avoiding being served won’t prove easy, either. The order also enables the seizure and impoundment of bootleg merch up to four hours before and after each of Boone’s concerts and within “a four (4) mile vicinity of the stadiums, arenas or other places” where he’ll be performing.

Of course, this will presumably curb the prevalence of unauthorized Boone merch at shows – though it remains to be seen whether bootleggers can be decommissioned altogether.

Moreover, the approach raises cost-benefit questions when it comes to straight financials and to the optics of cracking down on the alleged bootleggers.

We’ve seen those optics take center stage in different-but-similar situations. Another possible byproduct: A bit of increased scrutiny, especially regarding apparel-related matters, for Boone and his team.

According to an arrest report viewed by DMN, Boone’s cameraman was taken into custody on the early evening of September 11th for (coincidentally enough) “urinating on the clothing” of a Florida surf shop while intoxicated – thereby allegedly causing $689.30 worth of damage.

Per the same source, the suspect told police “he had no recollection of urinating on the clothing.”