Logan Paul Seeks Legal Protection for Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
WWE star and renowned influencer, Logan Paul, has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action focuses on concerns about the authenticity of a piece of the United Center floor, allegedly signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court documents, Paul was not allowed to investigate the authenticity of the ground before making the payment. The original deadline for payment was September 25, and Paul was informed that he would lose his rights to the item if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid was $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, from the law firm Akerman LLP and legal counsel for Paul, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The temporary restraining order was granted on Thursday morning. The hearing on the temporary injunction is scheduled for October 9.Heritage Auctions promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The item description detailed an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Game-Used United Center Floor 1994-98.” It was signed by Jordan and included the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. 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, as well as third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage spokesperson stated that the auction house does not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that concessions were made for Paul to conduct an in-person inspection and an additional review.It is evident that authenticity is fundamental in the collector community. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein
Paul’s lawsuit alleges 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 the photos of the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the auction. In emails presented 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 verification company Sports Investors Authentication “was unsuccessful because the photo matching attempts were only with the Bulls logo, not with 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. This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were fully confident in its authenticity.
Heritage Auctions Spokesperson
