Fanatics has reached an agreement to acquire the Topps’ trading card business, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
The deal includes Topps’ collectibles arm, both physical and digital, sources said.
The move comes after Fanatics in August 2021 reached major deals with longtime licensing partners of Topps, Inc., including Major League Baseball and its player’s union for the exclusive licenses to produce baseball cards. Fanatics Trading Cards also reached agreements with the unions representing players in the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.
The WSJ said the acquisition of Topps “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.”
Topps also has the rights to Formula 1, UEFA, Major League Soccer, and Bundesliga.
The value of the deal is in the $500 million range, sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. The deal is expected to be finalized Tuesday.
Photo courtesy Topps
