Tom Brady was no stranger to controversy during his playing days in the NFL.
Now, he’s got another fiasco on his hands from upset fans.
And Tom Brady was hit with this awful accusation that had all hell breaking loose.
Sports memorabilia collectors angry at Tom Brady over his autograph
Former NFL New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was embroiled in controversy over his appearance at a business conference.
EXMA – marketing group – held a conference at the Watsco Center on the University of Miami’s campus in Coral Gables, Florida, that touted the 46-year-old former NFL star as a headline speaker.
For $3,600, fans could purchase a VIP ticket to the event that would include, among other things, a meet-and-greet with Brady, along with an autograph signing.
Fans, who brought memorabilia for the seven-time Super Bowl champion to sign, left the event outraged.
They accused Brady of shoddy penmanship that “ruined” the items that they brought for him to sign.
“It’s the same thing as being in a graveyard or cemetery and knocking over stones or defacing them,” memorabilia collector Glenn Gagnon told USA TODAY. “That’s what Brady did.”
Fans pay thousands for a chance at Tom Brady’s autograph
Gagnon and his 21-year-old son traveled to Miami from Methuen, Massachusetts, with memorabilia in tow for Brady to sign.
He said the entire trip, including the ticket to the EXMA event, cost him $18,000.
“We were never told that our items had to be pre-approved,” Gagnon explained. “If our items were not approved, I would have much rather him not sign it than what we got. He defaced our stuff.”
Gagnon brought a seat back from the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium for the team’s owner Bob Kraft, cleats that Brady wore during the 2018 season, and Patriots’ tickets from the 2001-2002 season when Brady won his first Super Bowl, that were never used.
“These pieces were like the holy grail of my collection,” Gagnon said. “… I’ve been collecting for 40 years. I am a die-hard collector.”
Ticketholders never saw Brady sign the items, which were taken into a private room with the former quarterback, his entourage, and EXMA CEO Fernando Anzures.
Gagnon explained that he had gotten Brady’s autograph at free events before and accused him of signing the items like a child.
“That’s a free autograph, (so) that’s the risk you take,” Gagnon collector said. “There’s no risk in what we did. Everything was going right, and then, we got the stuff and it’s like, ‘What is this?’ This is something a 4-year-old did.”
Other collectors expressed similar outrage at Brady’s autograph, who bought VIP tickets.
A source told Fox News Digital that Brady was only supposed to sign pre-approved items, which were pictures and copies of his book, The TB12 Method.
Fernando Anzures blamed miscommunication for the snafu and said that he was trying to fix things with the autograph collectors.
“EXMA should have been more explicit in our communication with ticket holders regarding what items were permitted at the event,” Anzures said in a statement.
Tom Brady is at the center of another controversy after fans left disappointed in his autography skills.
Read All About It will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
