Super Bowl 2014 Tickets Still On Sale, But Beware Of Counterfeit

Tickets are still available for Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford N.J., but would-be buyers should be careful when purchasing the expensive tickets from independent sellers.

The biggest warning to fans comes from a recent bust by the New York Police Department, which arrested two men on Tuesday on charges stemming from the production and sale of counterfeit tickets, including ones to Sunday’s championship, according to CNN.

Using sophisticated printers and computers, Damon Daniels, 43, and Eugene Fladger, 32, replicated the NFL logo and bar code for tickets and even parking passes.

The NFL’s Security Division reportedly began an independent investigation in December, and then notified the NYPD. Together they purchased 79 fabricated tickets for upwards of $10,000. A picture of the fake tickets can be viewed at Gothamist.

The pair was likely looking to cash in on the estimated $600 million boost the Super Bowl is supposed to provide the New York and New Jersey areas, though some sports economists believe that number is highly inflated.

Tickets for Sunday’s game are listed in the range of $1 million for an indoor suite to just over $1,600 on independent seller website StubHub.

To combat forgers and protect fans at the same time, the NFL has reportedly used thermo-chromic ink, which disappears when exposed to heat and reappears after its cooled down.. Some of the other ways to prove a Super Bowl ticket for Sunday’s game is real include raised artwork as well as a triple-hologram security label.