Bruce Springsteen files court order over sales of bootleg merchandise outside concert
Bruce Springsteen wants law enforcement to prevent the sale of bootleg merchandise “in the vicinity” of his Newark show at the Prudential Center later this month, a new report has claimed.
According to Complete Music Update, ‘The Boss’ has asked the courts in New Jersey to allow law enforcement to “seize and impound any and all infringing merchandise” sold outside of the show set to take place on April 20th.
Springsteen’s merch partner, Live Nation’s Merch Traffic, reportedly made the legal filing, which asks the local “United States Marshal” and “local and state police” to instigate a crackdown on the rogue merch sellers.
No specific sellers were named; rather, the filing asked that any “t-shirts, jerseys, caps and/or other merchandise” that make use of Bruce Springsteen or E Street Band trademarks without permission be removed.
It adds that the bootleg merch is “of the same general appearance” as authorised merchandise, but it is “not authorised” by Springsteen and “is generally of inferior quality”.
Merch Traffic also wants an injunction prohibiting bootleggers from selling the lesser-quality goods, as well as law enforcement action on the evening of the event.
Springsteen isn’t the first musician to make this move; recently, Dua Lipa, Tate McRae, and backflip-connosseiur Benson Boone have requested similar injunctions to stop unofficial merch sales outside of their shows.
Springsteen is currently embarking upon his US leg of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour in Minneapolis, which began on March 31st. Springsteen is dedicating a large proportion of the concert to criticising the Trump administration.
“We are living through some very dark times,” the singer declared on stage, “our American values that have sustained us for 250 years are being challenged as never before. We’ve got our young men and women’s lives at risk in an unconstitutional and illegal war.”
In response, Donald Trump fired back on Truth Social, in all caps, “MAGA SHOULD BOYCOTT HIS OVERPRICED CONCERTS, WHICH SUCK. SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. AMERICA IS BACK!!! President DJT”.
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