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Thread: what happens to Topps?

  
  1. #1




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    what happens to Topps?

    I just saw something come through about, after70 years with Topps, MLB and MLBPA have awarded the next trading card deal licenses to Fanatics. This starts in 2026.
    what exactly does that mean, and what happens to Topps?

    or is this a "don't believe everything you hear?"
    Last edited by crankbait09; 08-19-2021 at 05:29 PM.

  2. #2
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    In a sweeping reordering of the trading-card universe, unions representing players in Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League have struck exclusive agreements with a new company controlled by online sports-merchandise retailer Fanatics Inc., people familiar with the matter said.


    The deals break the grip that incumbent icon Topps Co. has held on the baseball-card market since the 1950s. The basketball and football players had deals with Panini America, Inc.


    All three unions—the MLBPA, NBPA and NFLPA—will have stakes in the entity that will now have control of the most lucrative sports trading card assets in the country. MLB and the NBA have also struck deals with the new business and will also have a stake.

    Topps and Panini did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Sources:
    https://www.wsj.com/articles/fanatic...lb-11629401528

    https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...enially-afoot/

    https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/m...ps-per-report/

    https://twitter.com/fuzzyfromyt/stat...60930778599429

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    Topps going to keep on with their non-sports brands and presumably keep going into NFTs. Looks like Topps and Panini were smart to sell when they did. Can't imagine the new owners will be happy assuming the sale/merger goes through.

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    or is this a "don't believe everything you hear?"

    Unfortunately this is true. Topps is out in baseball and the only part of this story that we are waiting on to see if it becomes 100% true is if Fanatics also takes over football and basketball as they are rumored to be doing so.
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    The SPAC that was acquiring Topps terminated the agreement today - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mudri...113000437.html

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    If this holds, it is a sad day for the hobby. People might have a beef with topps, but they are an icon and I for one can't imagine continuing to collect baseball cards if there is no Topps brand.
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    If this holds, it is a sad day for the hobby. People might have a beef with topps, but they are an icon and I for one can't imagine continuing to collect baseball cards if there is no Topps brand.

    Agreed. This is 70 years of MLB partnering with Topps down the toilet by Manfred

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    This is all very unexpected and hard to imagine but here is an idea i have thought of when i first heard this.

    I think there is some kind of back room deal between Topps, Fanatics, and MLB. I am thinking Topps has either acquired a majority share in Fanatics or outright own their ™™™ OR Fanatics has acquired Topps and will still be using their most of their business industry knowledge for most of their dealings and possibly still using their logo. So although now Fanatics has the MLB license, Topps will never really be out of the picture. They may just be out of the picture on legal paper. It's all semantics.

    I can see Fanatics buying the Topps name to use and hiring a lot of their people to help produce the cards. So have we really seen the last of Topps? I don't think so.
    Last edited by gsy971; 08-21-2021 at 05:27 PM.

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    Fanatics is worth many times what Topps is worth. It would make sense for Fanatics to just buy out Topps, since as of right now they don't even have a company to make trading cards with. So either they build one from scratch or try and buy out Topps or Panini.
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    The thing is Fanatics doesn't need Panini, Upper Deck or Topps if they are a monopoly and control the football, baseball, and basketball card market. They will soon take over the hockey, soccer, UFC, wrestling, etc. They then can pump out whatever they want and whenever and there is really nothing collectors can do about it. Why would Fanatics waste more money acquiring the brands from Topps when they could just make Fanatics Draft, Fanatics Metallic, Fanatics Throwbacks, etc. to replace the Topps brands?

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