Fanatics just punted Topps in the face, and the cut throat industry continues.

[KingKuba]

Get ready for no more Young Guns..

[WillyC]

Fanatics rolled in with armoured trucks... Topps was given the chance to match and passed.

IMO, Fanatics will flood the market with millions of cards that they then tout as even more precious than the most precious of precious gems.

This is like buying all the USA's State Lottery Systems... and the printing presses that print the scratch tickets.

They will come for Upper Deck and the Hockey cards next.

I'm calling it now... the Junk Fanatics Era will be the final greed that sinks modern cards forever.

unless,... they massively scale back print production and bring real security to their slabs that the current grading companies don't have.

They already sell signed jerseys, equipment, and memorabilia.

With a bigger connection to the players... I would not be surprised to see them also break into secure grading of cards while also authenticating autographs and memorabilia.

[10-4 collector]

I wonder if there wouldn’t be anymore breakers and LCS's if regular people like myself could start buying at affordable prices again. Might not be a bad thing…

[KingKuba]

I wonder if there wouldn’t be anymore breakers and LCS's if regular people like myself could start buying at affordable prices again. Might not be a bad thing…

Why would you think that?
They paid 10x what Topps paid.

You think houses in Canada will ever be affordable again?

This is a business not a hobby for you to enjoy.

[Marcb105]

The Topps/Mudrick merger that would have taken Topps public has predictably been dropped.

I don't see how this ends with anything other than Fanatics buying Topps at a discount given the bargaining position they find themselves in with the leagues and PAs having stakes in Fanatics.

[10-4 collector]

Why would you think that?
They paid 10x what Topps paid.

You think houses in Canada will ever be affordable again?

This is a business not a hobby for you to enjoy.

The market will crash, it’s just a matter of time…. You think people will be able to afford houses when everything is rising in prices? Not sure… prices will need to come down or there will be a lot of bankruptcies. It’s already starting.

[subban7677]

The market will crash, it’s just a matter of time…. You think people will be able to afford houses when everything is rising in prices? Not sure… prices will need to come down or there will be a lot of bankruptcies. It’s already starting.

That's a tough one. There may be a minor correction, but we've been hearing there's a bubble, the market will crash etc for years. Nothing ever happens. I have my oldest kid {19) saving now.

[creasecollector]

Just a crazy week for the hobby in general and this takes the cake.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in hockey with the NHLPA and Upper Deck.... It's going to be wild to watch it all unfold.

Still in shock to be honest.

[doniceage]

They didn't "steal" anything. They made a better pitch .

@30ranfordfan

How do you think they made a better pitch? If I READ IT CORRECTLY TOPPS had the option to match the offer. They, refused so not sure why it was a better pitch as all Topps had to do was agree to the terms which was too rich for their blood. Just like free agency if you want player A you pay this sum. If not I am going somewhere else to play. Not a better pitch in my opinion just a big dollar amount that Topps was not willing to match. Should be fun what to see UD and Panini does if they get to the same scenario.

DON

[RGM81]

@30ranfordfan

How do you think they made a better pitch? If I READ IT CORRECTLY TOPPS had the option to match the offer. They, refused so not sure why it was a better pitch as all Topps had to do was agree to the terms which was too rich for their blood. Just like free agency if you want player A you pay this sum. If not I am going somewhere else to play. Not a better pitch in my opinion just a big dollar amount that Topps was not willing to match. Should be fun what to see UD and Panini does if they get to the same scenario.

DON

That's what makes it a better pitch.