From betting to apparel to collectibles, taking stock of the impact that Tom Brady’s comeback news is already having on multiple industries
Tom Brady isn’t just a man; he’s a business empire. Already the face of TB12 Sports, NFT platform Autograph, and new apparel venture BRADY Brand — to say nothing of a broader portfolio that includes an equity stake in crypto exchange FTX — the all-timer spent his 40 days of retirement building it even bigger as an investor and entrepreneur.
But now that he’s officially ended his retirement after what was basically a Lenten period, the business of TB12 gets even bigger — and its reverberations are already being felt in no uncertain terms across industries like sports betting, apparel, and collectibles.
Let’s take stock of what we’ve witnessed since the most accomplished QB of all time dropped his big news, kick-starting the Tom Brady Comeback Economy.
Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.
Brady’s Sports Betting Odds Impact
Naturally, Vegas got a special kind of jolt when TB12’s unretirement news hit.
In a flash, the Buccaneers went from Super Bowl longshot to a downright intriguing pick. Let’s take a trip over to FanDuel Sportsbook,
Let’s take a closer look at the other Brady-related futures betting markets and how they’ve moved.
Bucs’ Odds to Win the NFC South Division
The Saints need to figure out their quarterback situation. When (or if) they do, expect this market to move — at least modestly. But nobody’s knocking Bruce Arians and Co. off their perch now that the GOAT is back.
Bucs’ Odds to Win the NFC Championship
Yes, the Packers brought back Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. But is anyone actually going to pick them to defeat Tampa Bay in a postseason game if Tom Brady is doing typical Tom Brady things?
Bucs’ Odds to Win the Super Bowl
Taken as a whole, perhaps this all says more about the state of the NFC than anything else.
TB12 Apparel and Merch
Following his retirement announcement in February, Boardoom’s Ian Stonebrook explored the 1-of-1 place that Brady occupies in the world of sports apparel — specifically jerseys — given how many distinct eras he straddles in that industry on his path from Ann Arbor to New England to Tampa.
Now, the legacy simply extends. According to sports betting research platform Sidelines, Google search volume for the phrase “Tom Brady jersey” had exploded by over 2,000% by Monday morning.
“These findings highlight the enormous influence that Tom Brady really has in the NFL and sporting world, with his sudden return to the NFL coming in as a shock to fans,” a Sideline spokesperson said. “From this data, we can also expect merchandise sales to increase accordingly, and it will be interesting to see the growth of the Tampa Bay Buccanneers’ fanbase in the upcoming season as well.
While the real financial impact of Brady’s return remains to be measured, it’s safe to say we’re due to witness an absolute coup for merch titans like Nike and Fanatics.
Cards, Collectibles, and Memorabilia
In addition to being the on-field GOAT, Brady is also the top dog when it comes to various classes of NFL collectibles. His trading cards have produced more individual sales above $1 million than any other player as of this writing, and auction house Leland’s auctioned off a major piece of TB12 memorabilia for over half a million Sunday… just moments before the man himself confirmed he was back.
This raises some uncomfortable questions. Should the as-yet-unidentified buyer of this would-be “Last TD Ball” be able to get his or her money back? It’s not like an un-retirement was ever 100% out of the question, but it simply speaks to the utter fascination around the man and his legacy — and the gigantic dollar signs that go along with it.
In the days and weeks to come, keep an eye on what happens next on the Brady cards and collectibles market. This $518,000 sale was merely a taste of the circus we’re almost certain to witness.
LFG.
Again.
Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.
