Tom Brady (probably) isn't reading the texts you send him

As if the Bucs QB doesn’t get enough fan/hate mail, Tom Brady is now asking fans to text him ... sort of.

What happened: Brady posted a video on his social media accounts yesterday with the caption: "Trying something new here...Hit me up at (415)612-1737. Rule #1...no texting on Gamedays."

• Even if you tell him that he sucks, Brady claimed he'll actually see it and might respond.
• He called it a communication "tool ... where we can actually do a better job of responding to you."

The state of play: The words "tool" and "we" likely refer to L.A.-based tech company Community, which helps celebrities and companies reach their audiences via text.

• Stars pay for the service and, while some do occasionally respond, it’s mostly automated messages.
• The premise isn’t that different than getting spam texts from a company after you order something online.

Here’s what happened when we texted the number:

When called, it does ring but a mailbox full message comes up.

• Also, it’s a Novato, California area code. Not even an 813 number.

Could he respond? Possibly. Diddy and Gary Vaynerchuk have both posted videos of themselves texting fans back. Diddy even promised to "leak government files."

This story first appeared in the Axios Tampa Bay newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard.

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