eBay and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith Launch PROVA Group Authentication for Sports Memorabilia on the Marketplace

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- eBay, one of the world's most dynamic marketplaces, is partnering with PROVA Group and founder Emmitt Smith to officially offer its witnessed authentication services to the marketplace's 182 million global shoppers. Starting today, sellers can use PROVA Group's services to verify their items as legitimate, and buyers can rest assured they are getting exactly what they pay for. To further demonstrate the authenticity and legitimacy of PROVA Group's SmarTag™ technology, the partners are hosting an exclusive auction event at ebay.com/Emmitt22, now through 7pm PT on August 5, featuring a breadth of verified sports cards and memorabilia from Smith's own personal collection.

A majority of proceeds will go to Smith's charitable organization, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities, and their efforts to support underserved children with a focus on leadership development, school readiness and college scholarships.

"By partnering with PROVA Group, eBay is taking collector confidence to a whole new level by ensuring the value and historical information associated with each PROVA-tagged collectible is legit," said Smith. "The marketplace's values of trust, value and selection squarely align with PROVA Group's, and it was only natural to bring our verification services to eBay's customers. Together with eBay, we can connect millions of sports memorabilia enthusiasts with an amazing selection of one-of-a-kind collectibles verified by our service."

"As a preferred shopping destination for collectors of sports memorabilia looking for a wide variety of rare and desirable inventory, it's incredibly important to eBay that we can verify those items are legitimate," said Steve Halupka, Vertical Manager, Sports Memorabilia at eBay. "This commitment is shared by Mr. Smith and the PROVA Group team, and together, with PROVA Group's modern witnessed authentication process, we're able to expand eBay's authentication services and a shopper's confidence when they turn to us for that special addition to their collection."

How PROVA Group authentication works
When purchasing a signed jersey or game-used football for their collection, fans want to trust that the item is as expected. To meet that need, eBay welcomes PROVA Group as an official authentication partner to provide verification in these easy steps:

1. Tag it - Each authenticated item receives a PROVA SmarTag^TM placed by an authorized PROVA team member; the tag is then linked to a PROVA SmartCOA^TM, an item's document of authenticity.
2. Scan it - After tagging, PROVA Group scans the SmarTag to have associated authentication data stored securely in the cloud.
3. Authenticate it - Authentication is as easy as a quick look-up via provagroup.com.
4. Sell it… Or don't - Whether keeping or selling the item, collectors can track their memorabilia via the LEGIT by PROVA app and share an item's authenticity anytime, anywhere.

Explore sports fans' dream shopping event
In celebration of the partnership, eBay and PROVA Group are curating an exclusive selection of authenticated memorabilia, gear and merch sourced directly from Emmitt Smith's own collection. From trading cards and limited edition coins to game-issued helmets and more, shoppers can find that rare item they are looking for at ebay.com/Emmitt22. PROVA-tagged merch curated directly from Smith includes:

• 1993 NFC Championship touchdown ball
• Game-used blue Cowboys jersey
• Cardinals vs. Patriots game-used jersey
• Salvino Prestige Series figure
• Autographed, Super Bowl XXX issue of "Sports Illustrated" from February 1996 when the Cowboys beat the Steelers

In addition to finding a piece of football history, shoppers can rest assured they are supporting a good cause, as proceeds go to sustaining programs that are at the forefront of Smith's charitable organization, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities.

Go LIVE! with Emmitt Smith during a one-of-a-kind NotableEvent
For mega fans, Emmitt Smith is hosting a virtual meet-and-greet on Sunday, August 2 via his mobile Events platform, Notable Live, where participants can ask questions about his new partnership with eBay and bid on even more LIVE! Auction items from his personal collection.

Fans can register for the LIVE! with Emmitt Smith & eBay Event at events.notable.live, and download the Notable Live app from the App Store or on Google Play to join the conversation on the day of the Event. For more information about the LIVE! Auction items that will be available via Notable Live and details about how it works, visit www.notable.live/events.

Shoppers can head to ebay.com/Emmitt22 now to shop authenticated items for auction, and follow @eBay on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see the latest sports merch and memorabilia offerings. Fans can also follow Smith at @emmittsmith22 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity for all. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection.

About Notable Live
Notable Live was founded in 2018 by Mike Antonucci, a fan, and Emmitt Smith and Pat Smith, a pair of notables, to create face-to-face, virtual interactions between fans and their favorite notables via a one-of-a-kind LIVE! interactive platform. Notable Live is a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play that grants fans real access to notables by putting them "in the room" together for unforgettable virtual experiences. Connect with Notable Live at www.notable.live or on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

About PROVA Group, Inc.
PROVA Group, Inc. was founded by NFL legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Emmitt Smith, a man with first-hand experience with the effects of fraud in the collectibles marketplace. Using modern technology, PROVA Group has developed a lifetime provenance system that closes the gaps in today's witnessed authentication practices and adds accountability where little to none currently exists.  It strives to build fan loyalty by empowering the consumer with real answers, legit experiences, and assurance in a marketplace where the leading options are no longer the best options. Connect with PROVA Group, Inc. at www.provagroup.com.

SOURCE eBay Inc.