NBA News - Goldin Is Bringing Lakers History Closer to the Game: With direct access to Lakers memorabilia, the franchise’s global fan base and eBay’s live-commerce infrastructure, Goldin is drawing on decades of auction expertise to bring… #Lakers #NBA #MagicJohnson #SportsMemorabilia #eBayLive
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sports.yahoo.comGoldin Is Bringing Lakers History Closer to the GameWith direct access to Lakers memorabilia, the franchise’s global fan base and eBay’s live-commerce infrastructure, Goldin is drawing on decades of auction expertise to bring sports history to mainstream fans and established collectors alike.
Magic Johnson signed his name three times across a purple Los Angeles Lakers jersey before Ken Goldin brought it to auction.
The five-time NBA champion was among the Lakers legends participating in an invitation-only gathering at a private residence in West Hollywood on October 13. Public figures, private collectors, athletes, and industry figures, including Rob Veres of Burbank Sports Cards and members of the Trove Media team, gathered for an evening of live signings, historical memorabilia and auctions streamed through eBay Live.
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Johnson’s signed jersey was auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Magic Johnson Foundation. Lakers legends Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher also participated in the evening, while Goldin presented an assortment of collectibles spanning generations of Lakers history.
Elsewhere in the residence, a Wilt Chamberlain jersey photo-matched to Game 3 of the 1972 NBA Finals stood alongside a Magic Johnson jersey worn during his 1989–90 MVP season. Kobe Bryant’s twice-signed Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 sneakers, worn during his 42-point playoff performance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004, were also on display. Five championship rings belonging to longtime Lakers public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter represented the franchise’s championship runs from 2000 to 2002 and 2009 to 2010.
The evening marked the first major activation of Goldin’s multiyear partnership with the Lakers, announced in July, which named the eBay-owned company the franchise’s official auction house sponsor. Beginning October 28, Goldin will introduce weekly Wednesday auctions on eBay Live, bringing together historical memorabilia and equipment used during the current NBA season.
For Ken Goldin, the choice of partner was deliberate.
“Look, for me, I wanted to start at the top,” Goldin told Sam Goodman, Mantel contributor and founder of SOMOS Index, pointing to the Lakers’ championship history, international recognition and generations of culturally significant players.
The agreement represents more than an opportunity to sell memorabilia associated with one of basketball’s most recognizable franchises. It connects Goldin directly with the organization producing and preserving those objects, while opening access to the global audience that gives them cultural and commercial significance.
The Goldin Advantage
Auction houses have traditionally relied on private collectors, dealers and consignors to bring valuable memorabilia to market. A historically significant jersey might remain in a personal collection for decades before its owner decides to sell.
Goldin’s Lakers partnership introduces a different approach, establishing a direct relationship with the franchise rather than depending exclusively on owners bringing memorabilia to auction.
“How does working with professional sports organizations change your approach to sourcing inventory?” Goodman asked.
“For us, it gives us a guaranteed supply without competition,” Goldin responded.
The agreement gives Goldin access to selected memorabilia from the Lakers’ historical archives alongside contemporary game-used equipment, including jerseys, basketballs and nets. Rather than competing for those objects once they enter private collections, the auction house can source them through the organization itself.
That relationship is particularly important in a market where an object’s value depends not only on who used it, but also on the ability to establish its history.
“To us, provenance and authenticity is the number one thing,” Goldin explained. “Is it real? Is it authentic? We are getting it from the source.”
Acquiring memo
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