Tom Brady says one of his favorite books is The World Is Flat by Tom Friedman. No, flat-earthers, he’s not talking about you. The idea behind the book is more general. It explores how the rise of technology has connected people across the world. It’s something Brady reflected on in his most recent newsletter, The 199.
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In case you didn’t know, the GOAT became a minority owner of Birmingham City FC in 2023. The second-tier English soccer team has a storied history, and upon visiting the club across the Atlantic, Brady quickly noticed how deeply connected the local community was because of the club.
That experience helped reinforce the concept of a “flat world” for Brady, one of course, made possible by the spread of technology.
The former quarterback also pointed out that with the rise of streaming, watching any sport at any time has become easier than ever. As a result, more people are becoming fans of teams or sports that have no ties to their geographical location. Thanks to the internet, algorithms now feed fans exactly the kind of content they want to see, often tailored to specific teams or sports.
“With the advent of streaming video and social media in the digital age, especially, the world has gotten really small, really fast. The world is so flat now—meaning that we’re all connected in many different ways—that it’s possible for anyone to find success, however you choose to define it,” Brady wrote in his newsletter.
Brady went on to suggest that this is a better time than ever for small communities with sports teams to try to widen their footprint.
“This is an incredible opportunity for any team, in any sport, to build a community of supporters that extends far beyond the physical footprint of their stadium or the postal code of their local fanbase. And the best way to build that community, in my opinion, especially for smaller teams in lower divisions or less popular sports,” Brady penned.
It’s a hard idea to disagree with. Brady mentioned the Savannah Bananas baseball team and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as prime examples. They’re teams in secondary leagues that have expanded their support through a strong sense of community. It’s gotten more people to pay attention and has made others want to become fans and attend matches.
It also makes sense what Brady said- the Earth is somewhat flat in a figurative sense. It’s certainly a better time than ever for people to become fans of teams they don’t live near. And it’s seemingly all because the internet and increased connectedness have allowed them to track and consume daily content from those teams.
Now, it’s not as weird if you don’t support your hometown team, and the random reasons why people become fans of teams hundreds of miles away don’t seem as strange anymore.
