Logan Paul Sues Heritage Auctions Over Michael Jordan Item Authenticity
WWE star and social media 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 section of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court documents, Paul alleges that he was not allowed to verify the authenticity of the soil before Heritage requested payment, the original deadline for which was September 25. Records 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 amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, an attorney at Akerman LLP and legal representative for Paul, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The temporary restraining order was granted on Thursday morning, and 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 item description detailed an 8×8 foot section of the “Original Used Court from the 1994-98 United Center.” The piece is signed by Jordan and includes the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. 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 “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”It is evident that authenticity is paramount in the collector community. 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 court’s condition “does not match the 1995-1998 court, as a result of the court having been replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished.” 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 records, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is no “documentation matching the court 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 with the Bulls logo itself, 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-matching certificate “claims to have matched the item” with the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons. Upper Deck, Beckett, and PSA were not able to be 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 Statement
