TOM Brady and his English soccer club have had an audacious attempt to play a game in the United States turned down.
Birmingham City, based in the midlands in England, were taken over by a US-owned group last year, with Brady coming onboard as a minority investor.
And it has been reported that Birmingham asked for permission to play their League One game - that's two leagues below the English Premier League - against Wrexham in the United States.
There's no question that the game would have attracted a great amount of interest, with Welsh side Wrexham owned by Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
But the idea was declined by bosses from the English Football League.
With so many games in the main US sports leagues played abroad, there is a concern from some within soccer that the sport may be left behind.
If ever there was a time to try and further spread the word of soccer across America, it's surely now.
Big television audiences watch the EPL every week on NBC.
The Copa America is being played across the United States this summer.
And in 2026, the FIFA World Cup will take place in the country for the first time in more than three decades.
The English Football League recently saw an increase in its overseas TV rights, helped by the Wrexham story, which has been told in a popular Disney documentary.
But traditionalists in the UK will certainly stand firm in their belief that no soccer league matches should be played outside the country.
Brady, who has an enormous business portfolio, announced he was investing in Birmingham on social media last year.
"So here's the deal, I'm officially coming on board at Birmingham City Football Club," he said.
"And maybe you're asking what do you know about English football, Tom?
"Well let's just say I've got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they may translate pretty well."
A statement from Birmingham said Brady would apply "his extensive leadership experience" at the club, while advising "on health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery."
Brady's exploits in the NFL made him a sporting icon.
In two incredible decades with the New England Patriots, he won six Super Bowls.
He later went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won a seventh Super Bowl.
Brady is currently preparing for his new role as a lead NFL analyst with Fox in the 2024 NFL season.
His first game in September will be between the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns.
