Deflategate Football Sells for Nearly $44,000 in Auction

One of the footballs used during the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts sold at auction Saturday.

According to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, auction house Lelands.com sold it for $43,740 on behalf of Laura Nichols, and it's believed to be the only Deflategate ball available for public purchase. Pats receiver Brandon LaFell gave Nichols the ball in the third quarter following teammate LeGarrette Blount's touchdown.

Rovell added:

"

Although the balls were re-inflated to the proper levels for the second half, the report by Ted Wells commissioned by the NFL said that they were in fact the same balls used during the first half.

So while it's unclear exactly how much that particular ball was used in the first half, it was in the rotation of deflated Patriots footballs. The Wells report cited the testing of four balls after the game.

"

The Deflategate ball is far from the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia to ever sell, as Mark McGwire's 70th home run baseball sold for $3 million in 1999.

"This is a 'wow' type of collectible," said Joshua Evans, founder and chairman of Lelands.com, according to Rovell on June 18. "This is one of the best conversation pieces that has ever been sold."

The final bid didn't approach six figures, as Evans thought it might in June, but the fact a ball from a 45-7 game—one that may not have been used much in the rotation—would sell for nearly $44,000 speaks to the interest in Deflategate.