Deflategate football sells for $44K at auction
By JESS KLEINSCHMIDT
FanDuel
The Deflategate scandal cost the New England Patriots $1 million in fines, but it has also introduced another lucrative investment to the NFL; an auctioned football used by the Patriots in last season's AFC Championship game.
According to CBS Sports, the ball was sold by Auction House Lelands for $43,740.
The ball was given to Laura Anthony by Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell after LeGarrette Blount scored a touchdown in the third quarter in the game against the Indianapolis Colts. If only Anthony knew how valuable the ball was.
ESPN says:
"Although the balls were re-inflated to the proper levels for the second half, the report by Ted Wells commissioned by the NFL said that they were in fact the same balls used during the first half.
So while it's unclear exactly how much that particular ball was used in the first half, it was in the rotation of deflated Patriots footballs. The Wells report cited the testing of four balls after the game."
$44,000 is a lot of money right? For us maybe, however Lelands.com chairman said he could see the ball selling for $100,000 last month when it went on sale. That obviously didn't happen, but it could still be a record beating a ball that was used in the "most lopsided game in college football history" (Georgia Tech defeating Cumberland College 222-0) that was sold for $40,388.
Is this even a good deal?
