Rare Tom Brady memorabilia at center of lawsuit between superfan, Patriots
Owner of autographed American flag claims item suffered 'irreparable' damage
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Daniel Vitale is a giant New England Patriots fan.
So much so, he let the team borrow an American flag autographed by legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Vitale filed a lawsuit against the Patriots Hall of Fame after he claims they damaged the rare piece of memorabilia when they displayed it using "improper techniques."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Brady's signature began to fade, which possibly reduced the value of the item by as much as $1 million, according to the suit filed Wednesday in Boston.
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The New England Patriots mascot waves a flag during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sept. 27, 2020. (Paul Rutherford-USA Today Sports)
According to Yahoo Sports, the American flag flew over Foxboro Stadium in 2001, which also marked Brady's first year as the starting quarterback for the Patriots. At some point during that same year, the flag was signed by Brady.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The flag was then authenticated. A patch was sewn into the flag to acknowledge the team's final season in Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots moved to their current home, Gillette Stadium, in 2002.
Vitale said he only agreed to loan the flag to the Patriots Hall of Fame in June 2021 because he was guaranteed that it would be taken care of properly.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Brady is the former quarterback of the New England Patriots. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
According to the suit, the lighting at the Hall of Fame was designed to protect the memorabilia. Further, the lawsuit points the finger at the display case's glass surface.
There was "a significant gap in the glass directly in front of the flag through which unfiltered light and heat could pass," the suit read.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waves to the crowd as he runs off the field after defeating the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 3, 2021, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The 42-year-old Vitale of Hampstead, New Hampshire, contends he bought the flag for investment purposes in 2020.
"I am a die-hard Patriots fan and have been for 40 years," Vitale told the Associated Press on Thursday. "That flag was so significant to me because it was right after 9/11, and it was the last regular-season game at Foxboro Stadium."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A New England Patriots spokesperson said the team had no immediate comment.
After winning six Super Bowls in New England, Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and went on to win a record seventh ring.