Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady left collectors who paid $3,600 for his autograph disgruntled after they alleged his sloppy penmanship ruined pieces of treasured memorabilia.
“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.”
The former New England Patriots footballer was a guest speaker on Saturday at a conference for EXMA, a global marketing education platform, held at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center, according to the company’s website.
On the flyer for the event, EXMA promoted a photo and signature opportunity with the 46-year-old former pro athlete. The flyer also said the event included a three-hour yacht ride to view the Miami skyline, a VVIP party and a VIP lunch for attendees who paid for a $3,600 ticket. The additional events occurred throughout the weekend.
Gagnon and other memorabilia collectors paid for the pricey tickets. Gagnon, who lives in Methuen, Massachusetts, felt his items were “defaced” and “ruined” by Brady.
USA TODAY contacted Brady’s reps on Wednesday but did not receive a response.
Glenn Gagnon, son paid $18,000 for trip to EXMA conference
Gagnon, 58, and his 21-year-old son traveled to Miami together and paid $18,000 for the trip, including the cost of Brady’s autographs.
“My son never met (Brady) and the whole nine yards,” Gagnon said. “It’s horrible, I’d rather have (Brady) reject the stuff.”
The memorabilia Gagnon brought to the event included a seat back from Gillette Stadium designed for owner Robert Kraft in 2002, Brady’s game-worn cleats from the 2018 NFL season and an unused book of New England Patriots tickets from the 2001-02 season he called “priceless” due to only two being in existence.
“These pieces were like the holy grail of my collection,” Gagnon said. “… I’ve been collecting for 40 years. I am a diehard collector.”
Gagnon said he did not see Brady sign the items, instead, he and other collectors waited while the retired quarterback went into a room with his reps and Fernando Anzures, EXMA’s founder and CEO, to do the autographs.
‘This is something like a 4-year-old did’
Gagnon said he’s gotten free autographs from Brady at benefits and other free events, but after paying $3,600, he expected better.
“That’s a free autograph, (so) that’s the risk you take,” the collector said. “There’s no risk in what we did. Everything was going right, and then we get the stuff and it’s like, ‘What is this.’ This is something like a 4-year-old did.”
Beckett Collectibles rejected the signed memorabilia after Gagnon gave it to them for authentication, according to the collector.
Gagnon said he would have preferred a partial refund from EXMA to cover travel expenses.
‘Simply inexcusable,’ EXMA event attendee says
Greg Nazareth, another collector who attended the event, said Saturday in a Facebook post that what happened the day of the signing was “simply inexcusable.”
“Now don’t get me wrong, Tom’s interview and talk was simply amazing….he exuded poise, cursed quite a bit making him feel like one of us, and was incredibly humble…if only that would have translated to what he did just an hour earlier when he signed our items,” Nazareth’s post said.
The items Nazareth brought in “probably totaled close to six figures in value, and were one of one items in totality,” according to the Facebook post.
“All in all, I would have never paid $3,600 to receive the signature I got today on the items I brought,” Nazareth said in the post.
Collector Brad Jarrett felt similarly to Nazareth and Gagnon, saying Monday in a Facebook post he still blames “Tom a lot for this.” Jarret went to the event to have Brady’s 2000 NFL Draft ticket signed, according to the post.
“Tom let his emotions get the best of him and didn’t hurt the promoters he hurt those of us who were there with items,” Jarrett said in the post. “He could’ve easily refused to sign, he could’ve signed only items that matched what he was contracted to sign. What he didn’t have to do though was put squibbles on everyone’s items and ruin them, that was a choice Tom made and it was wrong and makes him just as accountable as the shady promoters of this event.”
‘I’m trying to fix it,’ EXMA founder and CEO says
Fernando Anzures told USA TODAY on Wednesday that he’s “not an expert” but he welcomed cooperating with fans of Brady who were displeased by the signing.
“If they were there, they are fans,” EXMA’s CEO said. “I’m going to do my best.”
Anzures said he’s “not the one signing” the autographs but wants to support the collectors’ grievances in “any possible way.” Anzures said the disgruntled collectors were a small portion of the 93 tickets he sold to the $3,600 event; about 80 of those attendees said they were “so happy” about how the weekend of events went.
The 2,400 people in attendance were “showing love to Tom Brady” because he helped deliver an “amazing and outstanding conference,” according to Anzures.
Regarding refunds, Anzures said he did issue them for collectors who brought trading cards because Brady’s contract with EXMA stipulated that the quarterback could deny signing certain items.
“I’m trying to fix it,” Anzures said. “I don’t know what is the solution because I don’t know what is the problem, but I’m hoping to receive every phone call.”
Once Anzures speaks to the concerned collectors and others unhappy about the signing, he plans to message the agency repping Brady to solve the problem.
“I’m trying to make this happen,” Anzures said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Brady autographs ‘ruined’ memorabilia, collectors says
