Logan Paul Disputes Authenticity of Collectible Signed by Michael Jordan
WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action centers 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 floor before making the payment to Heritage Auctions, which was originally due on 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 for the collectible item amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein of Akerman LLP, legal representative for Paul, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which was granted on Thursday morning. The date set for the hearing on the temporary injunction is October 9.Heritage Auctions promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The item description presented it as an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Game-Used Floor from the 1994-98 United Center.” It was signed by Jordan and included the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. The Heritage description also indicated 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 through 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 maintained an exclusive partnership for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage spokesperson stated that they do not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that the auction house made concessions for Paul to “conduct any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.” “We stand behind every item we sell,” Heritage affirmed, reiterating 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.” Paul’s lawsuit argues that the floor’s condition “does not match the 1995-1998 floor, as a result of the floor being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished.” 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 photo matching attempts were only with 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-matching certificate “claims to have matched the item” to the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons.It is evident that authenticity is fundamental 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
