Tom Brady’s CardVault Draws Star Investors as Sports Card Retail Expands

CardVault by Tom Brady, the trading card retail chain co-owned by the seven-time Super Bowl champion, has attracted a roster of high-profile investors spanning professional sports, music, and fight promotion, according to a New York Times interview published Wednesday.

The chain currently operates 17 locations nationwide and has set an expansion target of more than 100 stores. Among the new names backing the venture are New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, musician and entrepreneur Jay-Z, Fenway Sports Group principal owner John Henry, The Kraft Group, Boston Celtics CEO Wyc Grousbeck, and UFC president and CEO Dana White.

Brady framed the business as an extension of the communal pull of live sports rather than a pure trading play. “We love sports that bring people together, communities together,” he told the Times, adding, “I want everybody to be a collector.”

The move makes Brady the most prominent athlete to enter the card retail space, which has grown into a notable segment of the broader sports memorabilia market. CardVault’s investor list is notable for cutting across leagues and ownership groups — including figures tied to Major League Baseball, the NHL, the NBA, the NFL, and mixed martial arts.

Dana White’s involvement connects the venture to TKO Group Holdings, the sports and entertainment company that operates UFC, WWE, and IMG. TKO, which trades in the Communication Services sector under the Entertainment industry classification, closed down 0.75% today at $189.64 after a prior close of $191.08, giving the company a market capitalization of roughly $35.2 billion. White’s personal investment is separate from TKO’s corporate activities.

The card business has increasingly courted athlete and celebrity involvement as it moves from specialty hobby shops toward mainstream retail. CardVault’s stated ambition of surpassing 100 locations would put it among the largest physical chains dedicated to trading cards, a format that has leaned on live events, community engagement, and fan culture to drive foot traffic.

Brady, who retired from the NFL after the 2022 season, has built a post-playing portfolio spanning media, wellness, and now collectibles retail, positioning CardVault as a flagship consumer-facing brand in the hobby space.

What to watch

• CardVault’s pace of new store openings relative to its 100-plus location target
• Any additional investor announcements or league-level partnerships
• TKO Group Holdings’ next quarterly earnings report, which may touch on UFC-related brand activities
• Broader trading card market trends, including grading volumes and secondary-market activity

Source: original release