Should Athletes Charge For Their Autograph?

We have promoted several autograph shows over the past few years and the question we always hear is, "Why would a multi-millionaire charge for his/her autograph?"

Some people feel that it is not ethical to charge for an autograph -- or resell it.

These people are misinformed.

Athletes like Joe Montana and Jerry Rice MUST sell their autograph. There is a huge demand for their autographs worldwide and people pay for their signed items. If they didn't charge for it, people would make millions of dollars selling their items on eBay and they (the celebrity) would make nothing!

Have you ever seen a celebrity somewhere and you feel kind of embarrased to go up to them and ask for their autograph? That is the great thing about autograph shows. You are paying a fee and you are entitled to a perfect autograph on any item you choose. You don't feel embarrased because you are paying a fee and the celebrity is now required to sign your item however you like.

I think most people who scoff at professional athletes who charge for their autograph are mostly jealous because their "autograph" is worth nothing so they conclude that everybody's autograph should be worth nothing, therefore, when athletes charge for their autograph it doesn't seem right to them.

For most retired athletes, autograph signings are a very strong stream of income for them. Remember, they don't get the big salary they used to get. Most players are on a much tighter budget after retiring from professional sports.

Do you think it is wrong for athletes to charge for their autograph? If you do, we want to hear from you! Do you think they should charge $195+ for their autograph at shows if the demand is there? Do you think congress should pass a law prohibiting athletes to charge for their autograph?

Our position is clear. Athletes should be able to charge whatever the market will bear without feeling bad about it. Just like Bill Gates should be able to sell as many shares of Microsoft as he wants, whenever he wants.

Questionable Dan Marino Autograph

We don't have enough information to determine whether or not this is fake. However, this is very questionable for the following reasons and we invite the seller, all-star-sports-memorabilia to comment on this blog so we can hear their side of the story.

1. Dan Marino has his own hologram and he affixes it to all items he signs.

2. Dan Marino is with Mounted Memories. To the best of our knowlege, he owns part of Mounted Memories so Marino items usually (not always) contain their hologram as well.

3. Marino charges dealers $150+ for his autograph on premium items. For 8X10s I believe he charges $80-$90+.

4. As a promoter, I would not put an expensive signature on a picture of Dan talking. A normal promoter would have Marino sign an action shot.

5. The seller is offering this photo for a Buy It Now for only $49.99. This is a red flag because Marino's autograph would cost more than that.

6. The item comes with the seller's hologram and they are not a recognized source for signings.

7. The seller doesn't describe where and when the item was signed.

When you take any one of these points by itself, it doesn't make a very strong case for this item being fake. When you put them all together, it becomes very questionable.

Remember, when you are buying autographed sports memorabilia on eBay you are taking a risk when you don't purchased from recognized dealers. We are in the process of putting together a list of safe sellers and how to determine whether or not someone is selling authentic signatures or not.

Fake Shaquille O'Neal Autographed Jersey

This autograph was determined to be Likely Not Genuine by PSA-DNA and you can see why.

Unfortunately this auction went for $89 on eBay.

The last known autograph company that Shaq was involved with was Mounted Memories.

You can see a real Shaq autograph at this MRAK Sports auction.

An important tip on eBay: If you have any doubt that the item you are bidding on is not real. Do a search on eBay for that item. For example, we did a search for Shaq Signed Jersey and came up with a list of jerseys. We then found that there were several Mounted Memories items for sale.

If you notice that a player is signing for a particular company, this would lead you to believe that the player is under contract. Especially if it is a big company like Upper Deck, Steiner, or Mounted Memories.

Searching eBay doesn't always work, but it is a way to see what others are selling. Then you can compare the signatures and see for yourself. Remember, most athletes don't go around signing things for people on the street. They know that their autograph is worth too much money. Most times, if they do sign on the street, they will personalize the autograph so the person can't turn around and sell it on eBay.

Beware, there are still TONS of fake autographs on eBay, it has actually gone downhill since the Operation Bullpen bust a few years ago. These fake sellers are back online and they have no fear and they want to rip you off with their fake goods.

We have a lot of info on this blog. If you are ever in doubt, do a search with our search bar on the right side for information you are looking for. If not, leave a comment and one of our loyal readers will probably answer to help you out!