Logan Paul Takes Legal Action Over Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action arises from concerns about the authenticity of a section of the United Center floor, purportedly signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court documents, Paul was not allowed to verify the authenticity of the soil before making the payment, which was originally due on September 25. The amount of Paul’s winning bid totaled $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, Paul’s lawyer, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which was granted on Thursday morning. The date for the hearing on the temporary injunction was set for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The description detailed that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Used United Center Court 1994-98.” It was signed by Jordan and included the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. In the Heritage description, it was mentioned that the floor had been “honored by three World Championships and the footprints of the most celebrated athlete in the history of American sports” and that it was “used from the United Center’s debut season in 1994 through the 1998 NBA Championship season” until the 2005-06 season, when the floor was “retired and replaced according to NBA protocol”. Heritage’s description also highlighted a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has maintained an exclusive partnership for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage spokesperson stated that they do not believe Paul’s claim is justified, adding that the auction house allowed Paul to “conduct any in-person inspection and make reasonable efforts for further review”. “We stand behind every item we sell,” Heritage affirmed, reiterating that the floor was acquired directly from the Bulls. “This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely certain of its authenticity.” Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the floor’s condition “does not match the 1995-1998 floor, as a result of the floor being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification indicates that the Bulls logo appears different than in photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the lot. In emails found in court documents, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is no “such documentation… that matches the floor from the 1998-99, 1999-2000 or 2000-2001 seasons” and that the photo-matching company Sports Investors Authentication “was unsuccessful because the photo-matching attempts were only to the Bulls logo, not to the wood grain, which is what PSA used for its provided photo matches.” The complaint acknowledges that the Upper Deck certificate refers to the years 1995-98 and that the PSA/DNA photo match certificate “claims to have matched the item with” the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons.“It is evident that authenticity is paramount in the world of collectibles. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses obvious inconsistencies,” stated Bernstein.
Josh Bernstein
