Fan suing Patriots Hall of Fame for $1 million over damaged Tom Brady autographed flag

A New England Patriots fan is suing the team's Hall of Fame for $1 million after he claims it damaged Tom Brady's autograph on an American flag.

According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by TMZ, the flag had flown over old Foxboro Stadium during the 2001 season (the year Brady made his first ever start) and was signed by the quarterback several years later. 

The fan, Daniel Vitale, had attempted to lend it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which only wanted to display after Brady and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick retired. He then turned to the Patriots' team Hall of Fame who proudly displayed it with several other pieces of Brady memorabilia, including a Super Bowl jersey that was later stolen. 

According to Vitale's lawsuit, the team said it would be "curated to the highest standard."

When it seemed that Brady was going to retire from the NFL, Vitale asked for the flag to be returned because of the skyrocketing value of Brady merchandise. When he received it, he had found that the autograph had faded due to what he considered to be improper storage of the flag. 

More, via TMZ: 

In the suit, Vitale said "neither the lighting at [the facility] nor the glass [it] used for case displaying the flag were designed to protect autographed sports memorabilia."

He added, "there was a significant gap in the glass directly in front of the flag through which unfiltered light and heat could pass."

The "T" and other parts of Brady's signature have faded over the years that it was being handled by the Patriots Hall of Fame. In Vitale's view, this damage has caused the flag to drop by over $1 million in value and he is seeking damages in the lawsuit.  

Autographed Brady jerseys and footballs tend to sell for several thousand dollars.

Vitale argues that because this is apparently the only American flag to be autographed by Brady, and because the flag actually flew over Foxboro Stadium, it is an incredibly rare item and has more value.