NBA & MGG GW Jersey Authentication Program Finals Report

[BarryMeisel]

Hi everybody,

I just returned to New Jersey from Boston after authenticating the sets of game-worn NBA Finals jerseys that are now up for auction through our NBA & MeiGray Game-Worn Jersey Authentication Program.

I wanted to take everybody through the process, step-by-step.

Every authenticated Finals jersey carries an individually numbered NBA & MGG Authentication Program security tag below the adidas jock tag on the lower left front the jersey. These tags were added to the jerseys by our taggers in New Jersey last week, and delivered directly to the teams before the Finals began.

The Lakers wore the same set of purple jerseys (a set is 15 jerseys, which includes three inactive players) in Games 1 and 2. I took possession of the Lakers' jerseys minutes after the Celtics' Game 2 108-102 victory. I authenticated them by matching the serial numbers to our records and comparing photos of the jersey in use to the jersey in my hands.

I then gently rinsing them in cold water last night, so that they could dry before I got on the plane with the jerseys this morning.

The Celtics wore their authenticated set of white jerseys in Game 1 only. They chose to wear a second, untagged set, in Game 2. I took possession of the Celtics' Game 1 jerseys minutes after last night's game, and authenticated these also by matching the serial numbers to our records, and comparing photos of the jersey in use to the jersey in my hands.

After flying into LaGuardia, I drove to the NBA Store in Manhattan, where I delivered the Kobe Bryant purple and Kevin Garnett white Game-worn Finals jerseys. They were immediately displayed in the Fifth Avenue window. They will be there through June 24, the day the auction ends.

An NBA & MGG Program Director from the NBA is in Los Angeles for Game 3. We will be using the exact same process for the green Celtics and gold Lakers jerseys from Game 3 that will go up for auction when Game 3 tips off tomorrow night.

Good luck to all who participate in the auction,

Barry Meisel
MeiGray
nbagameworn.com ... where Game-Worn Jerseys Happen.

[worldchamps]

Will all the jerseys be sold via auction on NBA.com or will a set be sold on meigray.com at set prices?

[BarryMeisel]

Hi WorldChamps,
As of now, the only sets that will be available to the collecting public are one purple (Games 1-2 and one gold (Game 3) from the Lakers, and one green (Game 3) and one white (Game 1) from the Celtics.

As of now the teams have not indicated to us that others will be marketed. If that changes and we have info, we will announce.

Thanks, Barry

[BarryMeisel]

Hi everybody,

The NBA Finals jerseys worn by the Lakers and Celtics in Game 3 Tuesday night in Los Angeles were picked up immediately after the game by an NBA & MGG Program Director and flown back yesterday to the league's Fifth Avenue office in Manhattan for personal delivery to MGG's offices in Branchburg, NJ.

The auction for the Boston white and Los Angeles purple jerseys from Game 1 (and in the case of LA, worn in Games 1 and 2) ends June 24.

The auction for the Los Angles gold and Boston green jerseys from Game 3 ends June 26.

These will be the only sets of Finals jerseys available through the NBA & MGG GWJA Program.

Thanks,
Barry Meisel, MGG