Logan Paul Seeks Legal Protection Over Authenticity of Michael Jordan Object
The renowned influencer and WWE star, Logan Paul, has filed a lawsuit in a Texas district court against Heritage Auctions. The legal action arises from concerns about the authenticity of a fragment 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 ground before making the payment, 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, Paul’s lawyer, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which 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 description detailed that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Game-Used United Center Court 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 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 “retired and replaced according to NBA protocol”. The Heritage list also mentioned a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication 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 concessions were made for Paul to “conduct any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”Authenticity is paramount 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
Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the condition 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 photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the auction. In emails found in court documents, 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 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 have not issued statements at this time.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
