Larry Fitzgerald is on the cover of the new Madden. Kurt Warner "walked it out" on the Ellen DeGeneres show. And of course, the Cardinals reached the Super Bowl. That's what happens when you win with stars. Now Forbes, the preeminent business magazine in the world, says the Arizona Cardinals – your Arizona Cardinals – are the football’s hottest brand.
Forbes says the Cards' "brand value" has increased a "staggering 143 percent" over the past three years, up to $68 million. They also note the $155 million, 20-year naming rights deal with the University of Phoenix at the stadium is the third-largest in the NFL. These days, with the economy being what it is, it's also tough to come by such a naming rights deal anywhere close. In the NFL, the Giants are the second "hottest brand," with the Cowboys third, the Jets fourth and the Colts fifth.
