There is more than one problem with fake merchandising in Naples

From Instagram to TikTok, my feed is literally invaded by content shot and produced in the city of Naples. From the most famous and popular content creators, to videos on the plays of Kvara and Osimhen, to recipes that pay homage to the faces of the players and the team, in short everything is a great moment for the city, which in addition to registering a really high number of tourists is preparing to live a moment dreamed of for no less than 33 years. With only two defeats in the league and a consolidated lead of 18 points, Napoli has been making the city dream for weeks now, and it is only waiting for the mathematical certainty to celebrate a success it has wanted and sought for years, which last came in Maradona's time. And the enthusiasm, as can be seen from the social feeds, has grown by leaps and bounds in the city, which has turned blue, more than ever before. In fact, in every alley and district of the city it is possible to find murals of the current players, more and more tributes to Maradona and various blow-ups. An irrepressible happiness and it could only be so in a passionate city where the love for football and in general for the colours of Napoli is experienced in a visceral way that transcends everything. 

But behind the victory and enthusiasm there is another side of the coin, that of the counterfeit merchandising that can be found in various stalls distributed in every nerve centre of the city. As IlPost writes in an in-depth article on the subject: 'the camorra has increased its business and activities in anticipation of the probable victory; among the things most sold lately by the street stalls are spray cans for colouring hair, since according to a word of mouth in the city on the day of the victory the fans are supposed to dye their hair blue, the colour of the team.'

The problem that now concerns the city of Naples is not confined to the Campania region, however, but affects all football teams. As in fashion, in fact, a quantity of fake products circulate in football, polluting and clogging up the market, inflicting a painful loss on the whole system. The situation, however, has spiralled out of control in the Neapolitan city, hand in hand with the enthusiasm for the third Scudetto, with the Camorra taking advantage of the very high demand for branded jerseys, scarves and gadgets to fill a void that the availability of official merchandising does not always manage to satisfy.

The IlPost article lists the prices of each jersey, depending on how difficult it is to recognise the fake. Those most faithful to the original are close to €40/50, while the most counterfeit versions are around €15 for children and €20 for adults. A system that is not, however, limited only to the game kits but involves all the items related to the Parthenopean team's supporters, either inspired by the originals or created for the occasion such as the mash up jerseys between those of Argentina and Napoli with Maradona's name on the shoulders, of course.

A golden deal for the organised underworld, which already has a strong network for the illegal manufacture and sale of counterfeit products and can also dominate the black market thanks to its presence in the territory. Besides production and distribution, a central role is also played by sales through stalls and street vendors. In fact, the Camorra manages and decides who should set up on a given corner and everything is approved in advance by the 'system', which in this way is able to control every step of its chain.

Obviously, Napoli, as well as all the other clubs that have been trying to combat this phenomenon for some time, have not given up on the situation but want more help. The lawyer of the Napoli club, Fabio Fulgeri, told the newspaper Mattino: 'We will join the civil action, as President De Laurentiis asked from the beginning. We now follow about one hundred trials a year, which will increase in light of the seizures of these days. Not only in Naples, but also in Cassino, Velletri, Pisa and in the South."

And in fact, while the city dreams and continues to colour and fill every corner with blue, De Laurentiis and co. are already planning the final party for which about two or three million people are expected. A huge event that should take place in Piazza del Plebiscito and could happen on the day of the match against Salernitana, on 30 April, or on 14 May, when Napoli will play against Monza. The president also stated that he is working, in agreement with his technical sponsor, on the production of commemorative material to commemorate this unique moment, thus trying to combat the unauthorised merch already present in every corner of the streets of Naples.