Logan Paul Seeks Legal Halt Over Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
The renowned influencer and WWE star, Logan Paul, has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas 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 land before making the payment, which was originally due on September 25th. The deadline for payment remained firm, according to Heritage, which led Paul to take legal action. Paul’s winning bid amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, Paul’s lawyer at Akerman LLP, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The temporary restraining order was granted on Thursday morning. The hearing date for the temporary injunction was set for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The description stated that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “original floor used in games at the United Center from 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 highlighted that the floor was “honored by three World Championships and the footsteps 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, 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 they do not believe Paul’s claim is justified, adding that the auction house made arrangements for Paul to “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”“It is evident that authenticity is paramount in the collector community,” 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 floor “does not match the 1995-1998 floor, as a result of the floor having been replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and renovated.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification says 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 “such documentation… that matches the floor with 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 match certificate “claims to have matched the item to” the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons. Upper Deck, Beckett, and PSA could not be immediately reached for comment.“We stand behind every item we sell,” said Heritage, reiterating that the soil was acquired directly from the Bulls. “This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely sure of its authenticity.”
Heritage Spokesperson