When the New York Mets organization signed Tim Tebow in September 2016, following his California showcase for scouts and media members, it was called a “baseball decision.” Almost eight months later, New York general manager Sandy Alderson is admitting what many have believed all along: Tebow was signed to sell Mets merchandise.

“Look, we signed him because he is a good guy, partly because of his celebrity, partly because this is an entertainment business,” Alderson said at the 47th annual SABR convention, per Newsday. “My attitude is ‘why not?’”

While Alderson’s convention comments are sure to get noticed, this isn’t the first time the Mets have linked the Tebow signing to his celebrity status. Mets media guides traditionally include short bios of prominent minor leaguers likely to make news within the organization. All bios include the prospect’s signing scout, which presented an issue when it came to Tebow.

“The guy we sent to see him in California did not exactly send back a glowing report,” Alderson said. “I knew immediately he would not want his name as the signing scout.

“Ultimately, the guy that we put down was the director of merchandising.”

After three months with low-A affiliate the Columbia Fireflies, Tebow has been promoted to the St. Lucie Mets, which is sure to boost merchandise sales for the organization. While Alderson may be looking at as an “entertainment business” decision, Tebow is actually off to a solid start in Port St. Lucie. In his first three games, he’s gone 5-for-9 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs.

Last night, Tebow even made a highlight play in the outfield.