Logan Paul Sues Heritage Auctions Over Authenticity of a Michael Jordan Collectible
The renowned WWE wrestler 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 due on September 25. He was informed 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, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The restraining order was granted on Thursday morning, and 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 used floor from the 1994-98 United Center.” The floor is signed by Jordan and includes the inscriptions “Air Jordan,” “5X MVP,” “6X Finals MVP,” “10X Scoring Title,” and “HOF 2009.” Heritage Auctions’ description stated that the floor was “consecrated 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 list also mentioned a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has had an exclusive association for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage Auctions spokesperson stated that they do not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that the auction house made concessions so that Paul “could conduct any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”“Authenticity is paramount in the world of collectibles,” Bernstein stated. “Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses the obvious inconsistencies.”
Josh Bernstein
Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the state of the floor “does not match the floor from 1995-1998, 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 from the 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 “such documentation… that matches 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 itself, not the wood grain, which is what PSA used for its provided photo matches”. The lawsuit 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,” 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 certain of its authenticity.”
Heritage Auctions Spokesperson
