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

[creasecollector]

After listening to Brian Gray's discussion on Sports Cards Live, I think the most likely scenario is that the license gets challenged or ignored. Gray used the example of Pacific Spanish Baseball released in 1993. It was unlicensed when released and used full pictures, non-airbrushed uniforms, a clear, complete violation. The agreement was to give Pacific a license, not to take Pacific to court.

I have to think Topps' attorneys, Panini's attorneys, and others are going to be more willing to challenge it at this point. Almost no downside...

Very interesting!

[doniceage]

Just wanted to share this with everyone:
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...-10-4-billion/


DON

[doniceage]

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[Rraincock]

15-20 years.

Goodbye UD, Panini, and Topps.


Goodbye brick and mortar local hobby shops.

Goodbye diamond dealership BS from UD


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[creasecollector]

Just wanted to share this with everyone:
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...-10-4-billion/


DON

The big boys are here to stay.

[ChuckNorrisFearsS]

This has been quite a read. Personal thoughts are Fanatics will have Topps they can easily buy them out and produce under their own control. I can't see them sub-licensing anything to/for Topps. Not with the money invested. That makes me believe they're looking to take over sport by sport, and they have the capital to.

I'm really glad I only collect Eddie and a handful of older ITG Ultimate sets. None of the new products have interested me for the last 3-5 years. Maybe a change of the guard would change that but I hightly doubt it. I see more NFTs and ePack stuff coming where card collecting exists more in the digital world. Physical releases under a new regime I would almost bet would contain far more manufactured "relics" and sticker autos. Either that or the new lincesee has the money and makes such a large offer they're able to dictate a little more stipulations to the various PAs in that they get more memorabilia, they have a better signing guarantee, etc.

Who knows. Throw a dart at the board at this point.

[cjb]

I don't know how Fanatics is going to make a profit off their sportscard division unless they mass produce or jack up the price.

Maybe hey'll do it through their direct to consumer approach, I dunno.

[WillyC]

Just wanted to share this with everyone:
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...-10-4-billion/


DON

Thanks for sharing this Don... almost feels like an Earthquake/Volcano is about to swamp the hobby.

Similar to ChuckNorris, I am happy to be involved with just a single player collection and not spread across everything that gets released with today's modern cards. In fact, I am already seeing the end of my Tavares collection and do not intend chasing the glut of modern day cards. When I returned to the hobby in 2018 with JT coming to the Leafs, I already said I was not going to continue the collection past his NHL career. It may just be me, however, I prefer cards from when a player is playing... even more so with those ITG cards Tavares was signing as a Superstar in the making.

I have approx 2 hockey seasons left of Tavares cards that I have not yet posted to my website and most of it will finish showing the impressive ITG Tavares cards I have assembled.

I have a feeling there won't be much Fanatics stuff in my collection.

[ChuckNorrisFearsS]

I don't know how Fanatics is going to make a profit off their sportscard division unless they mass produce or jack up the price.

Maybe hey'll do it through their direct to consumer approach, I dunno.

Right there is the answer in my opinion. I bet the volume will be well above current production. With the money they paid for the MLB license supposedly, I don't think the status quo will last long.

They seem like a steamroller of a company with the money to back it up. Production has been a challenge for UD? Topps printing without a license? I could see them simply buying the companies doing the manufacturing, or non-compete clauses with those companies being put in place to quite literally squash the competition. Devalued, bought cheap, rolled under.

[creasecollector]

As much as I love this hobby and seeing how it evolves with the time, I too am glad that my collecting habits primarily focus on player collecting someone who is not involved in the present market moving forward. Just sit back and collect what you like and you can never have a bad time in the hobby, especially if you are chasing "older" cards.

I would be concerned if I was a collector who loves breaking new boxes, a big set collector, or "prospecting" the latest rookies for their PC's in the current format, because, yeah, the market as we know it could look a lot different (and become way more expensive) than what we see today.

Besides the initial price point on a box, the way products are built or even distributed (heck, what "cards" are considered at that point with NFT's making waves) may not jive with current collectors. I'm sure fanatics knows this and like any brand building and/or industry push towards the future, they are willing to let the old guard drift away if it means more (hopeful) profits from the "collectors" they are catering to now and in the future.

To me, it seems like an awful lot of money to pump into the card industry if this current bubble pops, but they are definitely here to stay for better or worse. Time will tell what these deals will mean for the hobby and no doubt we will all look back at this time in the hobby as a turning point to various changes in the hobby as we move forward into uncharted, cardboard-filled waters.