The top tier talent with today's salary structures will make more from their contracts with the team then they will with endorsements. Priority quickly shifts to "who has the cap space for me?" Rather than which market can provide me the best opportunity for brand deals.

The NBA is a better test case here. Celtics, Lakers, warriors, heat are never struggling to attract free agents and can often get away with paying a little less because the personal brand of the players increases so much in those markets.