New Tampa Bay Buccaneers Signee Baker Mayfield Is An Investor In Legends Clothing

Before Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, the 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick, Baker Mayfield, was in town for media obligations.

Scott Hochstadt, the founder/CEO of Legends clothing line, invited the rookie quarterback to a Migos concert led by its local hip-hop star Quavo. They threw down tequila shots backstage, even danced.

“I was loose, he was loose and Quavo is always loose,” Hochstadt said. “We just started vibing.”

A bond was formed. Mayfield liked Hochstadt’s vision, and Hochstadt thought the former college walk-on embodied Legends’ underdog mentality.

So Mayfield used some of his signing bonus to become the first active athlete investor in the athleisure company. (Steve Nash came aboard before, but he had already retired from the NBA.)

In the ensuing Super Bowl, Tom Brady would win his sixth ring as the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams.

Just about four years after that Super Bowl, Legends investor Mayfield is succeeding Brady — the ultimate legend — and that game’s winning quarterback as signal-caller of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During his first press conference with the Buccaneers, Mayfield emphasized that he’s not trying to be the next Brady, who he called the greatest of all time.

But because it’s a veteran team that has been to the playoffs three straight years with Brady, Tampa Bay represented an enticing destination.

“(The Buccaneers) want to win right now,” Mayfield exclusively shared. “Most of the times when there’s a QB vacancy, it’s because the team has not had anybody for a while. Obviously, that’s not the case. It’s just because Tom’s retiring.”

Though he has been in touch with people from Brady’s inner circle, Mayfield has not yet messaged or called him. He wants to give Brady his space.

“Let him enjoy his retirement party,” Mayfield joked. “It looked like the Top Gun scene of football on the beach.”

That scene would be perfect for wearing the Legends shorts that Mayfield uses as his go-to swimsuit.

Mayfield says he is hardly a fashion maven, preferring to wear more cozy clothing.

“That’s honestly how it became so appealing to me because it’s comfortable athleisure,” he said. “It’s an all-encompassing brand that I just fell in love with from the beginning.”

A cross between Kith and Lululemon, Legends call itself a “lifestyle brand that transcends the traditional sportswear model.”

Hochstadt, who played on the University of Maryland lacrosse team with several of the executives who built Under Armour
UAA
and whose father was a sales representative for Champion, founded Legends in 2019.

Legends did not get off the ground using venture capital money. Instead it relied on an investor network, which included many celebrities.

Hochstadt’s Manhattan Beach neighbor, Nash, was one of the first, and Quavo and Mayfield both invested during the launch phase.

Legends now has 27 athlete/entertainer investors, including former NBA player Matt Barnes and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

Revenue had reached $10 million before the business took a temporary hit during Covid-19, but Hochstadt said the business has rebounded to such an extent that he expects to reach $100 million in the next year or so.

Mayfield invested in the growing brand to profit monetarily and be part of a cool company whose founder he befriended.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see the potential financially,” he said. “It’s (also) been about community and family. It just fits where I want to be aligned.”

Mayfield chose the Buccaneers as the best fit, even though other teams offered more money than the one-year deal he signed with Tampa Bay, featuring $4 million guaranteed that could be worth up to $8.5 million.

“It was not the highest compensation,” Mayfield said. “But it presented an opportunity to play and compete right away.”

Mayfield should be able to master the offense right away, having become used to learning new playbooks.

“I don’t want to sound cocky,” Mayfield said. “But now I can relate different systems and I’m able to pull knowledge from each system.”

Most memorably, despite being claimed off waivers by the Rams 48 hours earlier, he led them to a 17-16 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders after trailing 16-3 in the fourth quarter during a Thursday night game in December.

Following that five-game stint with the Rams, the Buccaneers represent Mayfield’s fourth team in two calendar years.

At his various stops, Mayfield’s teammates have benefited from his partnership with Legends. Whether it was the team equipment staff or the offensive line blocking for Mayfield, they used to raid the care packages he’d drop off for them in the locker room.

Hochstadt even sent some Legends gear to Mayfield’s high school coaches at Lake Travis High in Texas.

“That’s the quickest I’ve ever seen a box of clothes get just absolutely picked apart,” Mayfield said.

Last year Mayfield couldn’t attend one of his friend’s bachelor parties because it was during the NFL season. So unbeknownst to Mayfield, Hochstadt gifted some customized Legends clothing for the party attendees.

That is a testament to the close business relationship that has its roots at a Super Bowl party in 2019.

“It sometimes happens in the club,” Hochstadt said.