Tim Tebow isn’t simply a baseball player. He was never really just a football player during a career that included a Heisman Trophy at Florida and the status as a first-round pick to the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
This has been known for some time. Tebow is more a cult hero. A brand of his own. Just ask the small New York town where he’s playing Double-A ball for the New York Mets.
As a member of the Rumble Ponies (yes, that’s a thing), Tebow has helped resurrect a Binghamton town with a population of just 45,000. He’s also considered somewhat of a deity after homering in his first at-bat with the team in its season opener.
Just how much is Tebow adored in the town? Well, in a long piece about the former NFL quarterback, Justin Sablich of The New York Times details a downtown area that has “perked up” since Tebow was promoted from the lower levels of the minors.
“Downtown businesses had perked up, counting on an influx of new customers. There were Tebow-theme menu items, like Beer Tree Brew Co.’s Tebow Time I.P.A., served at Craft Bar and Kitchen, and an array of Tebow-inspired sandwiches elsewhere. Local churches have coveted his presence,” the scribe notes.
Yes, a Tebow Time IPA beer. That’s all sorts of hilarious. Tebow is a devout Christian and does not partake in the use of adult beverages.
Batting just .241 with three homers and 12 RBI on the season, the 30-year-old Tebow might not go much further in the Mets’ organization based on his on-field talent. Though, there’s certainly something else to look at here. A promotion to Triple-A would set Tebow up to absolutely dominate the landscape of Las Vegas as a larger-than-life figure. From a pure marketing standpoint, the Mets surely have to consider this possibility.
Because, if nothing else, Tebow’s presence in this small New York town tells us a story of a man that will make the organization and those around it a ton of cash.