Fanatics Buys Topps

[RGM81]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fanatic...ps-11641261997

Big hobby news tonight, as Fanatics has an agreement to purchase Topps.

Now, Fanatics has struck a deal to purchase Topps’ trading card business itself, people familiar with the matter said, furthering its breathtaking takeover of the trading-card landscape that Topps had been a leading figure in for decades. The value of the deal could not be learned.
The acquisition accelerates Fanatics’ stranglehold on the business and restores a sense of continuity to an industry undergoing a seismic transformation. Fanatics Trading Cards is now poised to manufacture and distribute baseball trading cards immediately—years ahead of schedule, the people said.
[/COLOR]

[Rraincock]

Wooooow


So this will mean Topps baseball will continue!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikecole141]

Forbes has a piece today about a potential hiccup about the purchase and the potential for regulators to put the stop to the deal based on antitrust. I don’t know if it becomes a no go over this, but they may hit a pause, I tend to think it will go through.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcede...h=7a201c9310b0

[RGM81]

Wooooow


So this will mean Topps baseball will continue!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes and no. It will be under the Fanatics imprint, and also allows Fanatics to start on baseball ASAP instead of waiting until 2026 or 2027, whichever year it was they were scheduled to take over the baseball licensing.

[doniceage]

Yes and no. It will be under the Fanatics imprint, and also allows Fanatics to start on baseball ASAP instead of waiting until 2026 or 2027, whichever year it was they were scheduled to take over the baseball licensing.

Richard,
I was under the impression Topps had the baseball license until then and it would be open for renewal not just given to Fanatics. As for football or one of the other sport Fanatics has already has the license to start at a certain date.

Big news indeed thanks for sharing. Should be interesting to see who Fanatic brings over to help launch their new division.

DON

[subban7677]

Yes and no. It will be under the Fanatics imprint, and also allows Fanatics to start on baseball ASAP instead of waiting until 2026 or 2027, whichever year it was they were scheduled to take over the baseball licensing.

If I'm not mistaken, it would be similar to how we still have O-Pee-Chee hockey, but it's just a product in the Upper Deck family now.

[subban7677]

Richard,
I was under the impression Topps had the baseball license until then and it would be open for renewal not just given to Fanatics. As for football or one of the other sport Fanatics has already has the license to start at a certain date.

Big news indeed thanks for sharing. Should be interesting to see who Fanatic brings over to help launch their new division.

DON

Fanatics had the license locked up for 2026 (I think that's the correct year). No need to wait now, the current license is theirs now as well.

[pwaldo]

Wooooow


So this will mean Topps baseball will continue!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right but will it be Topps baseball or just Topps in name only like how Fleer has operated ever since Upper Deck bought them. While I like them keeping some aspects of the popular brands and inserts from Fleer and Skybox it just isn't the same thing. I fear Fanatics overpaying for the licensing and now buying Topps will either mean the prices of the stuff will be astronomical or the quality will go to garbage and the printers will run nonstop for them to recoup their investment.

[costanza]

I think is ultimately what was going to happen once Fanatics was announced to have the license in 26.

[Rraincock]

How long until Fanatics eats UD? What about the hockey license?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk