Topps to be replaced as the BB Card Manuracturer

[packs]

They're getting money from somewhere. I'm pretty sure they bought Steiner too.

[chalupacollects]

They are an $18 billion company and do have PE money from Sofbank and Alibaba... I'll hold my tongue on my opinion of that...

[John1941]

Not happy about this. I don't think Topps is as good as it used to be, but it's still okay and I do not feel optimistic about Fanatics doing anywhere near as good of a job.

[insidethewrapper]

Sad day for a longtime Topps collector. I guess "The Living Set" will have an ending in a few years.

[Peter_Spaeth]

If they acquire Topps and continue the brand, it may just end up being an ownership change in practice.

[insidethewrapper]

Whoever makes baseball cards, I hope they once again are available to the general public. My grandsons have been unable to buy a pack of cards this year at any store. Collecting cards , not cash , may be a thing of the past if kids can't buy packs in the $ 1.00 range, and cross out checklist cards.

[53toppscollector]

my guess: Fanatics is going to buy both Topps and Panini, for pennies on the dollar, and then they will consolidate the products and create the best of the brands

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Whoever makes baseball cards, I hope they once again are available to the general public. My grandsons have been unable to buy a pack of cards this year at any store. Collecting cards , not cash , may be a thing of the past if kids can't buy packs in the $ 1.00 range, and cross out checklist cards.

Those days are done with forever. You will never be able to buy current year products for around a dollar a pack, licensing fees prevents that.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Whoever makes baseball cards, I hope they once again are available to the general public. My grandsons have been unable to buy a pack of cards this year at any store. Collecting cards , not cash , may be a thing of the past if kids can't buy packs in the $ 1.00 range, and cross out checklist cards.

This is what will happen:

Some entrepreneur with $100,000 in capital will go to amateur state championship tournaments in various states, and put together a nice 500 card set of 20 or 30 top amateur teams. They'll pay the teams a very nominal amount, plus give them free cards. No additional licenses needed.

Then they'll print the cards on standard stock and package them in wax packs for retail sale at maybe 50 cents for 10 cards.

They'll make a fortune, and collectors, especially kids, will be able to have fun playing with cards again.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Whoever makes baseball cards, I hope they once again are available to the general public. My grandsons have been unable to buy a pack of cards this year at any store. Collecting cards , not cash , may be a thing of the past if kids can't buy packs in the $ 1.00 range, and cross out checklist cards.

If you break the spirit of young collectors early enough they will never come back to the hobby 30 years later when they have real money to spend. It's the difference between old school brand building and new school short sighted profit taking. The hobby will be the victim and guys like Rubin and his Cronies will suffer no consequences.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by packs

They're getting money from somewhere. I'm pretty sure they bought Steiner too.

Michael Rubin, Executive Chairman, Fanatics; Mike Novogratz, founder and CEO, Galaxy Digital; and Gary Vaynerchuk, Serial Entrepreneur and Investor togehter set up Candy Digital in order to secure licensing & "make the market" for sports NFT's. The licensing of baseball cards plays perfeclty into their plan.
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