Bulls

An autographed Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals was privately sold to a Miami real estate investor for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday. The price is believed to be the highest ever paid for basketball memorabilia.

A game-worn red road jersey was purchased by Ron Firman, according to Philadelphia-based Hunt Auctions. Jordan wore it June 5, 1998, while scoring 37 points in the Bulls’ victory over the Utah Jazz. The Bulls went on to win the series in six games, giving Jordan his sixth and final championship.

This is the third Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals that has sold for more than $10 million. Jordan’s Game 3 white home jersey was auctioned in September for $12.26 million and his Game 1 red road jersey was sold at auction for $10.09 million in 2022.

“While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established, it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, in a statement.

Firman’s X account describes him as a “Commercial Real Estate Co. Principal. Partner in private co. who’s trading is comparable to a hedge fund’s. Rare Vintage Sports Memorabilia Collector.”

His most recent post came Nov. 29, 2022, and features a signed photo of Joe DiMaggio belting a single in the seventh inning of the 42st consecutive game he recorded a hit in 1941, setting an American League record. DiMaggio extended the streak to 56 games, a Major League record that still stands.

Firman also recently set a record by spending $3 million for a 1951 Mickey Mantle first-generation photo used as the basis for Mantle’s celebrated 1952 Topps rookie card. Now Firman owns another piece of legendary memorabilia. The Bulls’ 1997-98 season was the subject of the “Last Dance” documentary series released in 2020.

“Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” Firman said in a statement distributed by Hunt Auctions. “I’m very excited about the purchase.”

The only game-worn jersey publicly to fetch more than $14 million was worn by Babe Ruth when he supposedly called his shot before hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. That jersey sold for $24.12 million in 2024 at Heritage Auctions, setting a world record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia. It appreciated more than 25 times from the $940,000 it went for in 2005.

“In our opinion, and 36 years of market experience, Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan stand above all others in the history of American sports,” Hunt said. “The record-setting price achieved for the related Michael Jordan jersey is yet another corroborative result as to the significance of Jordan within the industry and popular culture.”

Free-scoring All Blacks wing Fehi Fineanganofo has convinced Newcastle Red Bulls to delay his arrival on Tyneside so he can chase his dream of playing at the Rugby World Cup.

It was originally announced back in January that the 24-year-old had agreed a two-year deal with Newcastle, beginning at the start of the current campaign.

However, Fineanganofo’s exceptional form with the Wellington-based Hurricanes in Super Rugby then propelled him into Test reckoning.

He made his New Zealand debut against France in July.

Under All Blacks selection rules, a move overseas this year would have put Fineanganofo’s emerging international career on ice and ruled him out of contention for the Rugby World Cup, which begins in October 2027.

Newcastle have therefore allowed Fineanganofo to stay with the Hurricanes, for whom he broke the record for the most tries in a single Super Rugby campaign this year, for an extra season.

His Newcastle deal is still for two campaigns, but now covers the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons instead.

“I’m really grateful to Newcastle Red Bulls for the support and understanding they’ve shown me,” said Fineanganofo.

“The opportunity to stay in New Zealand and push for selection for the Rugby World Cup means a huge amount, and I’m fully committed to joining the club after the tournament and giving everything I can to the team.”

Newcastle’s sporting general manager Neil McIlroy said: “We are fully supportive of Fehi’s desire to represent his country at Rugby World Cup 2027, which marries with our own philosophy of aiming high and enabling our athletes to achieve their ambitions.

“Fehi’s arrival in 2027, with additional international experience that will only add to his already devastating qualities as a top-class winger, is another statement of intent around where this club is going.”

The compromise ends long-running uncertainty about Fineanganofo’s future.

In June, New Zealand Rugby denied they were attempting to put together a deal to get Fineanganofo out of his Newcastle contract.

Just a few weeks ago, Red Bulls’ head coach Dan McFarland said he expected Fineanganofo to arrive in November and play in the current campaign.

His side began the Prem season with former Ulster man Werner Kok, signed in June as doubts over Fineanganofo’s move increased, and 35-year-old Christian Wade as their first-choice wings.

McIlroy kept open the possibility of adding to the club’s options in that position.

“We are more than happy with the quality and depth that our existing squad possesses, but may yet choose to add to the outside back position if a player of the required standard becomes available,” he said.

Newcastle lost 59-26 away to defending champions Northampton on Friday in their league opener, and will take on Leicester at home on Saturday.

Northampton Saints’ Tommy Freeman told BBC Radio Northampton:

“Good start and lots of points on the board which good to see but I think there is loads more in us which is what we said at half-time, but overall a good result.

“Our set piece we need to tighten up a bit on that first phase. Defensively we were caught a bit tight, but credit to Newcastle for stressing us in those areas but we would like to see better movement.

“It is always a challenge and going back-to-back [titles] is not done by many teams. There is a reason for that but we will be looking to take each week as it comes and keep putting our DNA on the pitch.”

Newcastle head coach Dan McFarland told BBC Radio Newcastle:

“We put a lot of good stuff out there but we were tested today by a really, really good team. We know where we stand now and where we’ve got to work. We have a long jounrey ahead of us and that was the first step.

“It was a fantastic score when we had a length of the field try and that was really us and we also had a lot of defensive sets where we had showed really good scramble and stopped them from scoring.

“But the game is up and down. We had that yellow card and then we had three tries which were scored during that yellow, and the try just before half-time was a real killer.

“Maybe we left a couple of tries out there but there is plenty in that that we will take away and see as a real positive.”

Northampton: Pater, Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy, F Smith, McParland, Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona, Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pollock, Chick

Replacements: R Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, Lockett, Taylor, Mitchell, Belleau, Sleightholme.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo, Wade, Hearle, Harris, Kok, Connon, Elliott, Rakete-Stones, McGuigan, Millar Mills, Usher, Jordan, Hicks, Christie, Graham.

Replacements: Fletcher, West, Harper, Molina, Leatherbarrow, Cruz, Henry, Sotutu.

Sin bin: Obatoyinbo (14), Rakete-Stones (43)

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe.