An agreement reached on Monday has cleared the way for the auction of Shohei Ohtani's 50/50 home run ball to proceed, even as the legal dispute over its ownership continues.
According to a joint statement from Goldin Auctions and the plaintiffs' lawyers, the auction house will continue to accept bids for the ball. As of Monday, bidding had reached $1.5 million, or $1.83 million with the buyer's premium included. The proceeds from the sale will be held in an account until the ownership dispute is resolved. The auction is set to close on October 22.
Two lawsuits have challenged the ownership of the ball. In late September, 18-year-old Max Matus filed a civil lawsuit claiming possession of the ball and sought a temporary injunction to halt the auction. Judge Spencer Eig of Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit Court did not grant the injunction but scheduled an October 10 hearing, ordering that the ball could not be sold before that date. Shortly afterward, a second fan, Joseph Davidov, filed his own lawsuit claiming rightful ownership of the ball.
On Monday, Goldin Auctions announced that all parties involved in the litigation had agreed to allow the auction to continue without interference from the ongoing legal proceedings. Under the agreement, all parties agreed to convey any ownership interests in the ball to the auction winner, ensuring they would receive clear title to the ball.
Devon Workman, representing Davidov, and a lawyer from the firm representing Matus both confirmed the agreement, which was reached during a brief hearing in the Florida courtroom. As a result of the agreement, the October 10 hearing was canceled.
Legal experts have weighed in on the complexities surrounding the auction of the ball while ownership remains in dispute. Some noted that the legal uncertainty could impact the potential sale price and raise questions about the clear title of the ball. Attorney John Uustal, who represents Matus, explained that the auction would proceed and that the winner would receive clear title. He also stated that the dispute over ownership would continue in a traditional lawsuit, rather than in an expedited manner.
“We're grateful for the trust and support of all parties regarding the auction of the Shohei Ohtani 50/50 ball,” said Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin Auctions, in a statement.
The current bid of $1.83 million would make Ohtani's 50/50 home run ball the second most expensive baseball ever auctioned, surpassing Aaron Judge's 62nd home run ball from the 2022 season, which sold for $1.5 million.
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