Tom Brady private signing prices - WOW!

[packs]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Same reason you don't work for 2/5 of what you can make.

I don't know what you're getting at. You're talking about millionaires looking at memorabilia sales as taking money out of their pocket, I think? Fans put the money in their pocket in the first place. The old argument rings true either way. The more you sign, the less your signature is worth. Then no one will be making anything and balance is restored, like it once was.

[RichardSimon]

And if you add personalization at $229 you devalue the piece to the point where you almost cannot sell it. And you are screwed if your name is a long one because then his salutation will consist of "Hi Harold Steingrubber."
Is TriStar actually gonna pay someone to count the letters in this BS thing?

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by packs

I don't know what you're getting at. You're talking about millionaires looking at memorabilia sales as taking money out of their pocket, I think? Fans put the money in their pocket in the first place. The old argument rings true either way. The more you sign, the less your signature is worth. Then no one will be making anything and balance is restored, like it once was.

This is a BUSINESS for these guys. What business prices its product at less than it thinks the market will bear? What's so hard to understand about that? The "balance" you're looking for is already there. Those who want to pay his price will do so, those who don't won't.

[David Atkatz]

An autograph for a fan should not be "a product." It should be a little "thank you for making my life so wonderful."

As it once was.

As far as I'm concerned, any player who sells his autograph for anything other than charity can go f#*k himself.

[JimStinson]

The players "Obligation" is to deliver touchdown passes....He has no obligation to kiss anyones arse or to produce free autographs on demand. As a "fan" if you would like something for "free" send a letter to "COORS" or Budweiser or whomever sponsers the game and tell them since you like their product you DESERVE a free sample .....and if you don;t like their answer CHANGE TEAMS or stop watching...simple stuff.
If you don;t watch the Patriots they would not be able to pay him and then he would be standing by the side of the road with a sign that reads "WILL THROW TOUCHDOWN PASSES FOR FOOD".....come on man

[David Atkatz]

You "come on man," Jim. An autograph should not be--and for most of the time that people have collected autographs wasn't--a "product." It was given away gratis for various reasons--a thank you, or perhaps it just made the giver happy to make a fan--most often a child--happy.

Perhaps you have lost sight of where most of the autographs you sell originally came from.

(If all those old-time ballplayers and boxers only sold their autographs, there wouldn't be enough "stock" in existence today for you to make a living. Be glad they never considered autographs "product.")

[JimStinson]

My FRIEND...when I did private signings I ALWAYS paid the person to sign.. Always. I did not tell them they owed it to their fans
In fact I offered Actor MARLON BRANDO ........ONE MILLION , YES ONE MILLION dollars to do a private signing and he refused. Not an idle offer was done through an attorney and all that and he said NO......
_____________________
Buying and selling vintage autographs for over three decades
19th century and dead ball era my specialty
jim@stinsonsports.com

[David Atkatz]

That's fine, Jim. (My friend, too.) But I would argue that a good portion of your income comes from the sale of the autographs of athletes, actors, and historical persons who NEVER sold an autograph, never held a private signing, and were probably dead before you were born.

[Hankphenom]

Instead of focusing on autographs, why don't we ask players to play for a lot less (say a max of $100,000 a year) so the ticket prices could be a lot lower? That would strike most people as absurd, wouldn't it? It's the same for autographs, endorsements, and all the other ways players make money. Why should they take less than the market will give them? It doesn't make any sense. And when autographs were free, how many fans had a chance to get one? Now all you have to do is fork over the price, and you can meet your guy and then frame that baby and put it on your office wall for you and everyone else to enjoy. I'm just not getting the resistance here. Every show I do, I see fans lining up excitedly to get their favorites' autograph. Most of them seem absolutely thrilled to be able to do so, and they've paid it so clearly they're OK with the cost to be able to do that. I sure wish my plumber would go back to the good old days and take care of my problems for $10 an hour. Or how about a free unclogging once in a while? He's done really well by me and his other customers. Why won't he just give something back to us for all that? The fact is he doesn't owe me anything, and neither does Tom Brady.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

And when autographs were free, how many fans had a chance to get one?

Quite a few, I'd wager based on the evidence--the surviving numbers. What percentage of the autographs given to kids--for free, so that they never were assigned a monetary value--have survived? I don't know, of course, but based on the numbers of baseball cards that have survived, it ain't all that great.
And, in those days, if you weren't able to meet a player before or after a game, you could always write to his home. Almost all were happy to oblige.

[Cfern023]

Originally Posted by JimStinson

The players "Obligation" is to deliver touchdown passes....He has no obligation to kiss anyones arse or to produce free autographs on demand. As a "fan" if you would like something for "free" send a letter to "COORS" or Budweiser or whomever sponsers the game and tell them since you like their product you DESERVE a free sample .....and if you don;t like their answer CHANGE TEAMS or stop watching...simple stuff.
If you don;t watch the Patriots they would not be able to pay him and then he would be standing by the side of the road with a sign that reads "WILL THROW TOUCHDOWN PASSES FOR FOOD".....come on man

Jim,

Don't give into the David's rants. Just ignore him like you would the homeless man at the urinal beside you.

If you make eye contact, he'll think it's okay to engage you.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Cfern023

Jim,

Don't give into the David's rants. Just ignore him like you would the homeless man at the urinal beside you.

If you make eye contact, he'll think it's okay to engage you.

Why don't you mind your own business? For your information, I've been a long-time customer of Jim's, and would consider him a friend. (As I hope he does, me.)
Friends can argue--happens all the time.
(Although it would be a lot more fun if we were face-to-face over a pizza and a few beers.)

[JimStinson]

David yes you ARE a friend and along time customer ....and I appreciate your opinion BUT in order for things to be as we wish they were so ...we would need a "TIME MACHINE" which to my knowlege neither one of us owns
Cheers
JIM STINSON SPORTS

[Cfern023]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Why don't you mind your own business? For your information, I've been a long-time customer of Jim's, and would consider him a friend. (As I hope he does, me.)
Friends can argue--happens all the time.
(Although it would be a lot more fun if we were face-to-face over a pizza and a few beers.)

You would like me to mind my own business? Take it to a PM.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by david atkatz

an autograph for a fan should not be "a product." it should be a little "thank you for making my life so wonderful."

as it once was.

As far as i'm concerned, any player who sells his autograph for anything other than charity can go f#*k himself.

absolutely agree!!!!

[barrysloate]

Agreed Max. That's the fun part of it, and something that I kid will remember for a long time.

[vintagechris]

eh, why pay that price for Tom Brady when gridironlegends has a never ending supply of Brady's and other stars like Bradshaw, Montana, Rice, Marino, just about any big name star you could want at a fraction of the price.