Favre Trade Means $ for Jets, League, Networks

Take the NFL's biggest star, transplant him to the country's biggest market, and you have one major marketing opportunity.

Brett Favre has only been a Jet for about 36 hours, but he's already earning his $12 million-a-year keep. Jets' jerseys bearing the former Green Bay Packer quarterback's name and number are selling at a furious rate: The NFL's online store had its busiest day ever yesterday, and the Jets sold more jerseys in one day than it did in the previous seven months, reports The New York Times. Also, "[t]he team's Web site crashed after receiving 1.2 million hits in the last 24 hours -- nearly as many as it had in July."

Of course, the real money is in television. What will Favre's arrival mean for ratings? "It really depends on how well the Jets do in the first half of the season," says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and director of research at Horizon Media. The team's 4-12 record last year means the NFL scheduled the Jets for only two prime time appearances this year. But thanks to the league's new flexible scheduling system, adopted next year, Jets games towards the end of the season could be bumped into prime time if the Favre-fortified team proves more competitive. As of right now, of the 10 regular-season games scheduled already, six will air on CBS, two on Fox, one on ESPN's Monday Night Football and one jointly on the NFL Network (and locally on CW 11).

"They'll be a better and more interesting team," predicts Adgate.

Meanwhile, the Favre trade could also boost sales of Madden NFL '09, the popular video game. Favre is on the cover of this year's edition -- as a Packer. Electronic Arts, the game's maker, says it will issue a software update allowing players to convert Favre to a Jet. The real obsessive-compulsive types can also download and print out a new cover for the package featuring the QB in his new jersey.

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