📈 How J.J. McCarthy (Technically) Became the NFL’s Most Popular Player

In 2021, the Arizona Cardinals became just the second team in the NFL to buy their own plane. Still, while most teams will charter planes throughout the season, this move made sense for the West Coast Cardinals, who were slated to travel over 22,100 miles that year (the most in the NFL).

However, it now appears that they’re attempting to recoup some of that investment; more on that at the end.

In today’s newsletter:

🗞 The Big Story: How J.J. McCarthy (Technically) Became the NFL’s Most Popular Player

📉 Biggest Loser: Why Politicians Are Being Forced to Pick Between the Chiefs and the Royals

🏆 Winner’s Circle: Breaking Down the Arizona Cardinals’ $845,000 Luxury Ticket Strategy

🗞 The Big Story

J.J. McCarthy is already the most popular player in the NFL, but that’s not coming from me; that’s according to the NFL Players Association, which just filed their annual report that reveals which athletes made the most in royalties from:

• Jerseys

• Video games

• Trading cards

• Collectibles

And let me tell you, the results were shocking.

NFL Player Royalties: In the NFL, the players' union handles negotiations with companies such as Fanatics, EA Sports, and Panini on behalf of all players. Then, at the end of the year, each player is paid royalties based on the frequency of their likeness being used.

A fun byproduct of this system is that every year, the NFLPA is required to file a tax form (LM2) that states how much it paid each player, providing us with insight into who fans consider the “most popular.”

Now, in 2024, only 22 players earned more than $1 million in royalties, with three of those players —Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and Rob Gronkowski —already retired.

You also have the guys you might expect at the top of the list, like:

• Justin Jefferson (#8)

• Josh Allen (#5)

• Travis Kelce (#2)

Number 1 Earner: But by far the most unexpected name at the top of this list was rookie QB, J.J. McCarthy, who didn’t even play a single snap last season but still raked in over $4 million in royalties, which is the most the league has seen since Tom Brady earned $6.8 million during his final season two years ago.

But possibly even more surprising is the fact that McCarthy did this all while being ranked number 48 in total jersey sales.

So, where did all the money come from?

According to two marketing agents, it seems like most of that money came from trading cards. That’s because, on the day he was drafted, McCarthy cashed a more than $1 million check, usually indicative of the types of payments rookies receive from companies like Panini for signing thousands of collectibles.

Top 25 Licensing Royalties List

1. J.J. McCarthy, $4,006,702

2. Travis Kelce, $3,246,875

3. Justin Herbert, $2,548,763

4. Peyton Manning*, $2,200,000

5. Josh Allen, $2,057,052

6. Christian McCaffrey, $1,958,780

7. Patrick Mahomes, $1,887,509

8. Justin Jefferson, $1,690,561

9. Brock Purdy, $1,667,463

10. Trevor Lawrence, $1,643,718

11. Eli Manning*, $1,610,041

12. George Kittle, $1,480,955

13. Joe Burrow, $1,419,168

14. Rob Gronkowski*, $1,285,754

15. Tua Tagovailoa, $1,278,365

16. Puka Nacua, $1,238,962

17. Aaron Rodgers, $1,194,344

18. Micah Parsons, $1,177,231

19. Aman-Ra St. Brown, $1,156,605

20. Jalen Hurts, $1,141,622

21. Brian Thomas Jr. ,$1,132,885

22. Michael Penix Jr., $1,021,339

23. Jason Kelce, $990,060

24. Ceedee Lamb, $982,843

25. Russell Wilson, $975,778

*No longer active

📉 Biggest Loser

One of the biggest debates in sports right now just took an unexpected turn, and it could result in the Chiefs and the Royals leaving Kansas City, Missouri.

Background: For the past year, elected officials in both Kansas and Missouri have been trying to lure the Chiefs and the Royals to their respective states by offering hundreds of millions of dollars to build each team a new stadium. Currently, the state of Kansas is offering to cover 70% of new stadium costs, while the state of Missouri is only offering to cover 50%.

But that’s not even the biggest problem here.

Because lawmakers in both states are starting to realize that they might not be able to cover the cost of attracting both teams, leaving elected officials with the nearly impossible task of deciding which team they’d rather have in their state.

And on the Kansas side, this already contentious debate appears to be taking an interesting turn.

Partisan Divide: In a recent interview, the Republican Senate President in Kansas accused the Democratic Governor of favoring the Royals over the Chiefs. This was followed up by the Democratic Senate Minority Leader openly advocating for the Royals to move to Kansas over the Chiefs, “just because of the sheer number of games.”

Now, it’s important to note that the public cost of any new stadium in Kansas will be paid back through a sales tax generated by development in and around a new stadium, and it seems like the Democrats are arguing that attracting an MLB team, which plays 81 home games a year, will help generate more tax revenue.

However, Republicans are now countering that argument by saying that building a new, domed football stadium will allow the state to attract events such as:

• Super Bowl

• Final Four

• Major concerts

For what it’s worth, a new football stadium would likely come with a price tag close to $3 billion; meanwhile, a new MLB stadium would cost closer to $1 or $2 billion.

Either way, both teams now have until the end of this year to decide which state they want to play in, even if it’s not clear which state actually wants them.

🏆 Winner’s Circle

The Arizona Cardinals just made over $800,000 by keeping their stadium empty; let’s break it down.

Background: On average, NFL teams make around $10 million per home game from ticket sales, parking, and concession stand revenue. However, unless players agree to increase the number of regular-season games, every team is capped at either 8 or 9 home games per season.

This means, historically, the only way for NFL owners to make more money every Sunday is by raising prices on their fans.

But what if there were another way for owners to cash in?

Well, that’s what the Arizona Cardinals are trying to do with their newest ticket package, and I’m not sure there’s anything else like it in sports.

Flying With the Cardinals: The Cardinals just launched three different ticket packages, ranging from $2,500 to $6,000 each, that give fans the chance to fly on the team plane to their November 3rd Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Now, it’s important to note that fans won’t actually be flying with the players and coaches; instead, they’ll be flying on a replica version of the team plane provided by a team sponsor, which features the exact same layout and amenities.

As a part of their ticket, fans will also receive:

• Two-night hotel stay in Dallas

• Ground transportation

• Welcome reception from team legends and executives

• Pregame tailgate

• Tickets to the game

• Gift bags

• Flight back to Phoenix the same night

Now, for $2,500, you’ll get a main-cabin seat and tickets in the lower level of AT&T Stadium; however, for $6,000, you’ll get a full, lay-flat seat in first class and an all-inclusive box ticket to the game.

And given the size of this plane (288-person capacity) and the fact that the team has already sold out of the $6,000 ticket option, I’m guessing they’re on track to clear $845,000 for a game they’re not even hosting.

⏱️ In Other News

• The Tennis Hall of Fame turns down a $10M donation.

• MLB All-Star Game audience down 3%, but still king.

• Dude Perfect is hiring a Social Media Lead!

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