The WWE signed a long-term merchandising deal with Fanatics, which includes official WWE NFTs, offered through Fanatics’ Candy Digital division, and trading cards, which will operate through Topps, which Fanatics acquired from former Disney CEO Michael Eisner earlier this year. It also includes physical and digital licensed merchandise with Fanatics launching a WWE shop this summer.
“Fanatics is the industry leader and Michael Rubin is a visionary,” said Vince McMahon, WWE chairman & CEO. “We believe this multi-platform partnership will set a new standard for WWE e-commerce, apparel and merchandise while providing our fans globally with more ways than ever to engage with WWE and our superstars.”
“WWE is one of the most widely admired sports and entertainment properties worldwide, and it made perfect sense to activate many parts of our Fanatics global platform to create a first-of-its-kind, all-in fan experience,” said Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin. “From e-commerce and licensed merchandise to trading cards and more, we’re going to offer up an incredible set of capabilities to help WWE’s passionate fans worldwide celebrate their favorite superstars, marquee events and the WWE brand overall.”
As part of the agreement, this summer, Fanatics will exclusively re-introduce a new e-commerce and mobile destination, WWE shop. WWE grew the business in-house for decades, and the company will also add rights to design, manufacture and distribute real-time, on-demand merchandise to celebrate unpredictable WWE moments and new and emerging entertainers.
Fanatics Collectibles, the company’s trading cards and collectibles division, will also become the exclusive provider of licensed WWE physical and digital trading cards, which bear the Topps logo. Fanatics acquired the 70-year-old Topps brand earlier in 2021, which previously held a long-term relationship with WWE. That deal will start when WWE’s existing trading cards rights expire over the next few years.
Also, as part of the deal, later this year Fanatics digital collectibles company, Candy Digital, will become one of WWE’s primary NFT partners. Candy’s team of artists, designers and technologists will curate and build a full range of trading card NFTs featuring WWE moments and entertainers.
Photo courtesy WWE
