Logan Paul Seeks to Halt Auction of Michael Jordan Item Due to Authenticity Concerns
WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit in a Texas district court against Heritage Auctions. The legal action stems from concerns about the authenticity of a fragment of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court documents, Paul was not allowed to verify the authenticity of the floor before Heritage Auctions requested payment, initially scheduled for September 25. Paul was informed by Heritage that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Paul’s attorney, Josh Bernstein of Akerman LLP, 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 is set for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The auction description detailed an 8’x8′ section of the “Original Used United Center Court 1994-98.” It includes Jordan’s signature and 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 was “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 until 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 mentioned 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 Auctions spokesperson stated that they do not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that the auction house made arrangements for Paul “to conduct any in-person inspection and make reasonable efforts for further review.”“In the world of collectibles, authenticity is paramount. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses obvious inconsistencies,” stated Bernstein.
Josh Bernstein
Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the ground’s condition “does not match the ground from 1995-1998, as a result of the ground being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and renovated.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification indicates that the Bulls logo appears different from photos from the 2001-05 seasons. After Paul won the auction, Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage. In emails included in court documents, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is “no documentation matching the floor from the 1998-99, 1999-2000 or 2000-2001 seasons” and that the photo verification company Sports Investors Authentication “was unsuccessful because photo matching attempts were limited to the Bulls logo, not 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” to the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons.“We stand behind every item we sell,” Heritage reiterated, emphasizing that the floor was acquired directly from the Bulls. “This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely sure of its authenticity.”
Heritage Auctions
