MeiGray to partnership with NBA

[kylehess10]

I don't even collect basketball game used but this is GREAT news!! I'm glad to hear that collector's will know now which is real and which isn't. Now only if MLB did something with ALL their equipment....

[topekabob]

This is of course great news for all kinds of collectors. My experiences with Barry and Mei Gray have been awesome. Simply put, they are true professionals and they appreciate all kinds of collectors, even people such as me who don't spend the massive dollars.

[reed1216]

Barry,

Congratulations on your agreement with the NBA!!! This is terrific news and I will most definitely look into expanding my collecting preferences to include basketball now.

For those of you who are not familiar with MeiGray, you definately have something to look forward to. I have several NHL jerseys, as well as a Rangers Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez that went through MeiGray and the piece of mind one gets, knowing their collection is 100% real is great. Good luck with this, Barry. I look forward to seeing the inventory you acquire.

[gatorcollector]

This is great news. I bought an Anthony Roberson jersey when MeiGray first got the Grizzlies jerseys. That was my first NBA jersey, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get more.

[BarryMeisel]

Hi Rudy,

I'll try to respond to your questions as best as I can, in chronological order in your post:

The finalized contract we publicly introduced yesterday is with the NBA to market game-worn items from league-controlled events. In the coming months we will be attempting to negotiate agreements with as many NBA teams as possible to join the program (like Dallas and Memphis). That is the context to which I was referring.

As far as the Rangers situations you referenced, and the question you raised about preventing situations like those going forward, I have two points to make:

1) It is my goal to ensure absolute authenticity in game-used items worn by teams in our program. Creating an authentication program that ensures this is our aim. Here's an example: If an NBA player wants to throw his jersey into the crowd 82 times a year, and that team wants to join the program, we will attempt to ensure that every jersey that player wears that hits the seats has an authentication program tag.

2) How others authenticate items they sell, and whether those items are legitimate, is a part of the equation I can't speak to. When a team negotiates a contract, and tells me the items outside the contract are not legit, and I use my authenticating and researching skills to validate what they are saying, that is the best I can go by.

Are those Arod/Palmeiro jerseys legit? I have no idea. I have never authenticated them. But I can tell you they lack the elements of what legit jerseys of those same players during our deal with the Rangers.

Show me an absolutely, 100% rock solid authentic item that was created outside of an exclusive contract, and I will be happy to discuss the issue and investigate what happened.

Based on the products I see on the open market, I respectfully disagree that our integrity is undermined if other jerseys of players whose teams we have under contract hit the market. I think thorough comparison and research would prove the opposite true.

Several collectors who participate on this site have personally compared products that have come to MeiGray via team deals vs. those that have hit the market through other channels.

Most importantly, Rudy, MeiGray believes that what it sells MUST BE 100% LEGIT. We know that there are thousands and thousands of other items out there in the sports memorabilia market. And I'm not naive enough to believe some are not legit. But I started MeiGray 10 years ago because I was a collector tired of having to take a chance every time I bought a jersey. Sure, some were real. But the ones that were not were spoiling my love for the hobby. I wanted my collection to be 100% real.

At MeiGray, the only thing that matters is that we hit 100% legitimacy and that our customers have collections that are 100% legit. That is the level of consumer confidence for which we strive, and why we believe we offer a better alternative.

This Forum--most notably Eric and Chris by virtue of the hundreds of hours spent to build and sustain this worthy watchdog--has done a remarkable job of raising questions, and opening people's eyes to what is going on out there. We applaud collectors who raise issues, ask questions, and demand answers from those selling and authenticating.

MeiGray believes it is working hard to do its part to clean up a wonderful hobby that needs to do a better job of ensuring 100% authenticity.

And thanks for the kind words, everybody.

Respectfully,

Barry

[kingjammy24]

barry, again, thanks for reply. i'd like to highlight one of your comments in case anyone missed it because i feel it has substantial implications:

"Are those Arod/Palmeiro jerseys legit? I have no idea. I have never authenticated them. But I can tell you they lack the elements of what legit jerseys of those same players during our deal with the Rangers."

in august 2005, forum member reid fontaine sold a 2003 palmeiro gamer from meigray. here is his description of the tagging on that jersey:

"Tagging is (a) Magestic tag, (b) 50 size tag, (c) set 1 2003 flag tag (remember that the Rangers were only issued sets 1 and 2 in 2003, per the Texas Rangers!), (d) +1" sleeve flag tag, (e) +2" body flag tag, and (f) Texas Rangers’ serial number strip tag inside of jersey reads “03106”, and (g) 0062 Majestic wash tag."

conversely, the 2003 palmeiro "gamer" sold on ami from asi and with a palmeiro loa and "game used inscription" had no set tag and more importantly, no sleeve or body customizations. i find it odd that on the asi/ami jersey that palmeiro sold outside of the meigray program, palmeiro apparently lost the need for customizations that he had on his meigray jerseys. (maybe when you're ordering boxes worth of jerseys to sell, you don't really bother with the customizations because you don't really intend on wearing them?). at any rate, i'd be interested for reid fontaine to discuss the tagging on the meigray arod jersey he had to see how it compares to the jerseys from arod himself.

rudy.

[indyred]

Just checking one Meigray tonight and they have a bunch of the NBA Hardwood Classic teams game worn jerseys from the 2005-06 season. Some of those jerseys are really crazy looking. They have the Wade Floridians Heat jersey. I know I've seen that version of a game worn jersey offered in auction houses before. I have no idea how many games they used them. Pretty cool seeing those styles. I think the Nets should have never dropped that look.

[kingjammy24]

Are those Arod/Palmeiro jerseys legit? I have no idea. I have never authenticated them. But I can tell you they lack the elements of what legit jerseys of those same players during our deal with the Rangers.

Show me an absolutely, 100% rock solid authentic item that was created outside of an exclusive contract, and I will be happy to discuss the issue and investigate what happened.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120133604268

rudy.

[whatupyos]

When will MeiGray actually have jerseys available? I know they had an auction for the special jerseys from the series abroad, but when will they have, say Warriors jerseys available? Anyone know?

Aaron