Logan Paul Sues Heritage Auctions Over Authenticity of a 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 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 was not allowed to investigate the authenticity of the ground before making the payment, which was to be made on September 25. He was informed that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not comply with the deadline. Paul’s winning bid amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, attorney for Paul de Akerman LLP, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which was granted on Thursday morning. The date for the hearing on the temporary injunction has been 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 “Original 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”. The Heritage description mentioned 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 debut season of the United Center in 1994 to the 1998 NBA Championship season” until the 2005-06 season, when the floor was “removed and replaced according to NBA protocol”. Heritage’s description also noted a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has had a long-standing exclusive partnership, 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 “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”“It is evident that authenticity is everything in the collector community. Collectors like Logan deserve and are entitled to a proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses the obvious gaps and inconsistencies,” Bernstein stated.
Josh Bernstein, Logan Paul’s Lawyer
Paul’s lawsuit alleges 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 says the Bulls logo appears different from photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the lot. In emails found in court documents, 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 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 with” 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,” Heritage reiterated, emphasizing 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
