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When Fanatics acquired the MLB license, the end of Topps making licensed trading cards would be seen following the 2025 season. However, the MLBPA license was set to expire following the 2022 season, which would have put an end to Topps using images or likenesses of any active players after this season. Effectively, when the calendar turned to 2023, Topps’ only available brand would’ve been their Bowman product. For collectors, this was unfortunate given the power of Topps as a brand and the uncertainty of Fanatics in the trading card space.
For a few months, there were rumblings and posturing from Fanatics. They had been looking into creating a marketplace to create, sell, grade, and ultimately own the card collecting space. Those tied to Fanatics have invested in a handful of different avenues with ties to the collectibles world, and fans were left wondering what was next. It always seemed logical that acquiring the Topps brand made sense, and it would undoubtedly drive sales more than a Fanatics branded trading card.
While months have gone by, the hopeful outcome has come to fruition. As reported by The Athletic’s Evan Drellich, Fanatics is set to acquire Topps in an announcement made public Tuesday. The deal is just for Topps’ trading card division, leaving the candy side and other assets untouched, and is reported to be worth $500 million. Fanatics also will own sole licensing of NBA (2026) and NFL (2027), which makes this purchase interesting for collectors. Panini America has held those exclusive rights in recent years, and Topps has not created branded basketball or football cards. Under this new acquisition, that presumably will change.
For collectors, this is the best news possible. Fanatics owns a monopoly over trading cards now, and they will also have arguably the most powerful brand in the space. Topps can be applied to baseball, basketball, and football trading cards under one umbrella. It remains to be seen what Fanatics will do with the brand and how they will distribute trading cards, but there’s plenty of room for growth.
While Topps has been a juggernaut in design and popularity throughout its existence, the most significant areas of problem have been distribution channels and customer service. Whether dealing with inept ways to put products directly in the hands of consumers or dealing with an endless cycle of non-answers on redemptions and other problem situations, Topps’ downfall has always been post-launch. Ideally, Fanatics can revamp this experience and pair it with the branding power they now will own. What once looked like an uncertain or unpleasant future has now revealed itself as a possible best-case scenario for those who love sports cards.
I’m not sure about you, but Topps Chrome basketball or Topps Finest football is something I’m ready to see again. Being able to continue collecting baseball with continuity is also a great thing.
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