As expected, Tim Tebow has already become a marketing machine in the NFL. Since 2006, the NFL has been tracking rookie jersey sales. Tebow is sitting on the #1 spot for jersey sales, and has already beat the record for rookie jersey sales, which was held until now, by last year’s rookie, Mark Sanchez. According to the Associated Press:
30 percent of the sales of Tebow’s jersey have come from the state of Florida, where Tebow grew up and starred at the University of Florida.
That’s no surprise, considering the large fan base he had already built up while at the University of Florida. With the addition of Tebow, the Denver Broncos are also the #1 selling team right now on NFLShop.com
With the celebrity status and star struck fans, Tim Tebow really wants to prove himself as more than just a name on a jersey. Even after his controversial Pro Life, Pro Family commercial had aired during the Super Bowl, he still received endorsement deals with EA Sports and Nike. Although he is endorsing EA Sports and Nike, Tebow has declined other endorsement offers, including some worth more than $1Million. Why would he turn down this much money? The answer is simple; he wants to focus solely on playing football.
You can see from his hyped up change in his throwing motion, the declining of other endorsement deals, and his proven work ethic, that he is driven to become a successful quarterback in the NFL. However, I am sure that there are going to be plenty of accepted endorsement deals in the near future. Over the next few months, we will see the steps Tim Tebow will take leading up the first pre-season game on August 15, against the Bengals in Cincinnati.