Tom Brady-Montreal Expos Topps Baseball Card Hasn't Been Embraced By Collectors

The Topps trading card company may be having second thoughts after it has seen a disastrous response to three exclusive Tom Brady trading cards where the former quarterback is wearing a Montreal Expos baseball uniform.

The three different autographed "one-of-one" draft pick cards are part of a new marketing plan by Topps and their Bowman 2024 box release. The cards are based on something that the average sports fan might not even know - that Brady was actually drafted by the Expos in 1995 as a catcher before he ultimately went on to play football at the University of Michigan.

All three autographed cards show Brady sporting an Expos jersey, with one of the cards inscribed "If baseball doesn't work out, there's always football." 

A new Topps trading card has Tom Brady dressed up as Montreal Expos player. (Topps Trading Co.)

CRINGE OR COOL?

Topps went all in on the rollout of the Brady-Expos gimmick. They even released a commercial about "What if..." Brady ended up going to the Expos and was as significant to baseball as he was in football (Could you imagine?!) One things for certain - I bet the Expos would still be an organization.

MANY CARD COLLECTORS NOT HAPPY

However, Brady's appearance in a baseball uniform seems to be just as divisive as when he was playing with the Patriots and crushing opponents week in and week out.

All across social media Topps is getting absolutely wrecked for doing what many believe to be a clear money-grab. It's par fort he course - just last week it was announced that cards featuring a piece of Juan Soto's jersey from his introductory Yankees Zoom press call Zoom call would be sold for hundreds of dollars.

CRITICS HAVE A POINT...

All the Bowman boxes are now more expensive because of the rare Brady card possibly being included in them. However, by doing so Topps has priced out the average card collector that wants to open up a pack of cards and have the chance to win like it was a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.

In fact, already one of the three autographed Brady calls was pulled during a "live break" on the first day! Breakers are essentially individuals or companies that open up cards on livestreams. Their popularity greatly increased during the pandemic when everyone was sitting around with nothing to do - however now it has become so oversaturated with big budgets behind that they can afford to buy up massive inventory, which increases their odds of finding rare cards.

The "card-flipping" model works for those that can afford it. Already the first pulled Brady Expos card has received a bid of over $500,000.

FANATICS NOW RUNS THE MEMORABILIA WORLD

There's also been enormous push back on the card in general. Fans are not happy about the crossover of a former football player being put on a baseball card - and especially at the ridiculously high price one would have to pay to even get a chance at acquiring it.

The sports memorabilia world has been absolutely crushing it in recent years and one of the main reasons behind that has been the resurgence and growth of sporting cards. However, with the emergence of Fanatics as the recent rights holder for many of the professional sports leagues, as well as their acquisition of Topps trading cards, many fans are worried that the industry has now gone from a hobby to squeezing the average person out and they are not pleased.

The one thing that fans and collectors have on their side however is the market. The Brady card may have went for hundreds of thousands of dollars. But whoever buys it is essentially taking a gamble as there's no guarantee that people will care about the card in six months from now once the buzz dies off.

Almost like if the Montreal Expos signed Tom Brady as a draft pick.

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