NFL OK'd to shut websites selling phony gear
NEW YORK The National Football League has won a court order to shut down the operators of nearly 1,500 China-based websites accused of selling fake NFL merchandise.
The order was signed Wednesday by federal Judge Lorna Schofield in New York City.
In a lawsuit, the NFL accuses the websites of selling counterfeit jerseys, headwear and other merchandise bearing the trademarks of the league or its 32 teams.
The ruling also gives the league the ability to learn the identities of those running the websites and more about their finances.
The league says it has used similar lawsuits to disable more than 2,500 websites.
No one showed up in court to counter the NFL's claims.