Logan Paul Sues Heritage Auctions Over Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
WWE star and social media personality Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action stems from 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 ground before Heritage requested payment. The original deadline for payment was September 25, and Paul was informed that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid for the collectible was $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. The temporary restraining order was granted on Thursday morning, and the hearing date on the temporary injunction was set for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The description detailed that it was an 8×8 foot section of the “original 1994-98 United Center floor used in games.” 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 the auction house does not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that concessions were made for Paul to “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”Authenticity is paramount in the collector community. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses the obvious inconsistencies.
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 renovated.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification says 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… 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, 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 were unable to be reached for comment.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.
Statement from Heritage Auctions