Logan Paul Disputes Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
WWE star and recognized social media influencer, Logan Paul, filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court last Thursday. The legal action focuses on questions about the authenticity of a section of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court records, Paul alleges that he was not allowed to verify the authenticity of the soil before Heritage requested payment, which was originally due on September 25. The documents indicate that Heritage warned Paul that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid was $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein of Akerman LLP and counsel for Paul, 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 stated that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “original floor used in the 1994-98 United Center games.” 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 highlighted that the floor was “honored by three World Championships and the footsteps of the most celebrated athlete in the history of American sports”, and that it was “used from the debut season of the United Center in 1994 until the 1998 NBA championship season” until the 2005-06 season, when the floor was “removed and replaced according to NBA protocol”. The Heritage description also mentioned a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has had an exclusive partnership for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage spokesperson stated that the company does not believe Paul’s claim is justified, adding that the auction house made concessions so that Paul “could conduct any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”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 any inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein
Paul’s lawsuit argues that the floor “does not match the 1995-1998 floor, as a result of the floor being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refurbished.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification indicates that the Bulls logo appears different from photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the lot. In emails found in court records, 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 photographic verification company Sports Investors Authentication was unsuccessful because the photo matching attempts only focused on the Bulls logo and not the wood grain, which is what PSA used for its photo matches. The lawsuit acknowledges that the Upper Deck certificate refers to the years 1995-98 and that the PSA/DNA photographic match certificate “claims to have matched the item” with the 2001-02 through 2005-06 seasons. Upper Deck, Beckett, and PSA were not reached for comment.We stand behind every item we sell. This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely certain of its authenticity.
Heritage Spokesperson
