Logan Paul Disputes Authenticity of Michael Jordan Item
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 piece of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court records, Paul was not allowed to investigate the authenticity of the soil before Heritage requested payment, the original deadline for which was September 25. The documents reveal 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 of Akerman LLP, Paul’s attorney, sought a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The temporary restraining order was granted Thursday morning, and a date has been set for the hearing on the temporary injunction for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The auction description stated that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of “Original Used Court from the 1994-98 United Center,” signed by Jordan and included 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 maintained an exclusive partnership for a long time, and 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 “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”It is evident that authenticity is crucial 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 renovated.” 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 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 photo-matching 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-matching certificate “claims to have matched the item” with 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 completely certain of its authenticity.
Heritage Spokesperson
