Ted Lasso’s Accidental Rookie Card Hit New High at Auction

A rare 2014 Ted Lasso promotional card from Topps sold earlier this month for over $16,000, highlighting the growing demand for pop culture “rookie” cards.

A rare promo Ted Lasso "rookie" has topped $16,000 at Goldin Auctions. | Apple TV+

Long before he was the beloved coach of the fictional A.F.C. Richmond Greyhounds, Ted Lasso was featured on a little-known 2014 promo card issued by Topps for NBCSN to promote their newly acquired rights to Premier League matches.

From Promo Giveaway to Five-Figure Collectible

Now, with the renewed focus on soccer, the popularity of the hit TV show Ted Lasso, and increased demand for unique pop culture cards, the promo item reached new heights with a recent sale at Goldin Auctions for $16,470 in a PSA 10. 

2014 Topps NBCSN Premier League Team Ted Lasso - PSA GEM MT 10 | Goldin Auctions via Card Ladder

The previous record? $2,806 in an SGC 9.5 in 2025, a whopping 486% increase. Let’s take a look at why this card has become so valuable.

The Origin Story of the Ted Lasso Rookie Card

For those unfamiliar with the phenomenon that became Ted Lasso, here’s the backstory. Debuting in 2020 on Apple TV+, the show is based on a character played by Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis, featured in a series of NBCSN ads promoting the network’s newly acquired Premier League rights. 

The original ads feature American college football coach Ted Lasso, as he hilariously tries to understand the game of football (aka soccer) while coaching the Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur. Part sketch comedy and part introduction of the game of soccer to new American fans, Lasso attempts to apply his football knowledge to the beautiful game, getting confused around the varying concepts of tackles, offsides, and club names and rivalries.

In addition to the ads, the promotional campaign included “bar kit” drops at sports bars and promotional events, featuring swag like drinking glasses, t-shirts, scarves, and cards featuring NBC commentators, as well as a “rookie” card featuring Sudeikis as Ted Lasso. Keep in mind that Ted Lasso was not yet a TV show, so many people likely tossed the cards or forgot they had them, making the promos even rarer over time.

A Hit Show and an Unexpected Hobby Star

Fast forward to today, where the Emmy-winning show has three seasons and 34 episodes under its belt, with cast and crew set to return for a fourth season in August 2026. Sudeikis’s lovable Lasso finds unexpected success coaching his newfound sport of soccer, turning the team around and rallying the local community with his humor and personality. 

Six years before Ted Lasso the show debuted, there was a Ted Lasso Rookie Card‼️

In August, 2014, NBC and Topps partnered up for a promotion.

There were a few broadcaster & personality cards and because of the viral “Ted Lasso” Promo - this rare card was included.

Few were… pic.twitter.com/jRLShzprno

— Buster (@BusterScher) September 5, 2023

All of a sudden, Apple TV+ had a hit, the cast of Ted Lasso earned critical acclaim, and a sleeper hit that skyrocketed in price. With the rarity of the card, there’s not a ton of sold listings, but from a raw eBay sale in 2023 at $698 to this month’s record sale of over $16,000, you can bet that fans and collectors will be searching high and low to uncover cards tucked away in old collections and long-forgotten bar kits.