The Topps trading card company has a new owner as sports retailer Fanatics has announced it has purchased the respected brand.
It was announced on Tuesday that Fanatics has purchased Topps’ collectibles brands for both physical and digital distribution. All 350 Topps’ employees are expected to be retained and integrated with FanaticsTrading Cards division.
“With trading cards and collectibles being a significant pillar of our long-term plans to become the leading digital sports platform, we are excited to add a leading trading cards company to build out our business,” Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin said in a statement. “Their iconic brand, commitment to product excellence and passionate employees worldwide will allow us to immediately serve our league and players’ association partners and our fans.”
The deal had been suspected for some time when it was announced Fanatics had acquired the rights to Major League Baseball cards in Aug. of 2021.
Topps also holds the rights to sports cards for Formula 1, UEFA, Major League Soccer, and Bundesliga. Fanatics already held the rights to the NBA Players Association and the NFL Players Association.
In addition to physical trading cards, Topps has a burgeoning portfolio of digital trading card apps for properties such as Star Wars, Disney, the WWF, and more.
Not included in the sale were Topps’ candy and gift cards product lines.
Fanatics is reportedly valued at $18B as of 2021, and has been looking to expand into the lucrative trading card industry. The products came back into high-demand during the coronavirus pandemic and are having a resurgence in popularity.
