Tim Tebow tops Sports Brand Affiliation Index
Four Long Island high school students were suspended for mimicking Tim Tebow’s prayer pose and causing a frenzy in the school hallways.
It really is Tebow Time.
Tim Tebow mania has struck the nation, and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon. The Denver Broncos’ quarterback, known for his Christianity, kneeling touchdown stance and his fourth quarter wins, now tops the Global Language Monitor’s Sports Brand Affiliation Index.
The Index measures athletes and the strength of “brand affiliation” they bring to their particular sport. For this analysis in particular, Tebow was on top of all athletes in football, baseball, basketball, soccer, Formula 1, golf, NASCAR, tennis, track and field, skiing and swimming, according to Global Language Media.
That’s right, Tebow has surged past David Beckham and Michael Phelps. Once he launched the winning touchdown pass against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers in last week’s playoff game, Tebow fever became contagious, with his number 15 jersey selling out everywhere.
The Global Language Media has also noted the growing rise of ‘Tebowing’ as an English term, which refers to Tebow’s post-touchdown bended knee, fist to forehead stance.
Read more at GlobalPost: Long Island students suspended for "Tebowing" (VIDEO)
Over the last week, there has been a shortage of not only Tebow jerseys, but all Broncos’ gear in general, CBS News reported. By midweek there were only a few hundred Broncos’ jerseys left in the Denver metro area. The shortage has affected all areas of the NFL after Reebok stopped making all jerseys. But Broncos’ fans are getting hit the hardest.
In Pittsburgh, where it should probably be easy to find a Tebow or Broncos jersey today, the mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, is selling his Tebow jersey on eBay and donating the proceeds to the Pittsburgh Promise, a scholarship program for public school children, the Boston Herald reported.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Tebow had the second highest selling jersey in the NFL from April 1 to December 31 of last year, falling just behind the Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, also the Super Bowl MVP.
On Saturday night, Tebow and the Broncos will head to Foxboro, to take on the New England Patriots, another highly favored team over Denver. Will it be Tebow Time tonight or will the Patriots’ Tom Brady put an end to the mania?