NFL: Tom Brady merchandise sets sales record

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers on Jan 24, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Record-setting quarterback Tom Brady is at it again, this time without even lifting a finger.

Fanatics, the NFL's official e-commerce partner, said the six-time Super Bowl champion, who is in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has become their best-selling NFL player ever for the two-week period between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.

Tampa is the top-selling market for Brady merchandise, followed by New York, Orlando, Boston and Miami.

The retailer didn't release official sales figures but noted that the North-east market is contributing to the Brady spree.

The New England Patriots failed to make the play-offs last year after Brady led them to six wins in nine trips to the Super Bowl during his 20 years with the franchise.

The Buccaneers face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LV.

"We are seeing record-breaking sales from Tom," Jack Boyle, Fanatics'co-president of consumer retail, for Fanatics told The New York Post.

Fanatics had numerous Brady jerseys for sale on Tuesday night (Feb 2), including the red, black and white versions that had Super Bowl patches, selling for between US$90 (S$120) and US$120 depending on whether the jersey was cut for a child, man or woman.

Boyle expects sales to escalate if the Buccaneers win, as fans of winning teams tend to buy apparel to commemorate a championship season. Tampa Bay have not won a Super Bowl since 2003.

"We are preparing for both teams' championship, and we anticipated Tampa Bay's sales would be higher," he said.

The sales of Brady's merchandise, which includes jerseys, T-shirts and other items, are more than double what they were following his last AFC conference title game appearance as a Patriot following the 2018 regular season, when he led New England to an overtime win over the Chiefs.

Fanatics also said it took just three days after this year's NFC conference title game for sales to hit what they did in the full two-week period in 2018.

"It's a phenomenon we have never seen before," Boyle told The New York Post.

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