What I learned this year about collecting - I can still be surprised
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I’ve spent decades in this hobby, collecting and working for various companies in the industry. I’ve learned so much from the history of trading cards to how cards are made.
And even with all that knowledge and time, it turns out, I can still be surprised.
When the news broke over the summer that Fanatics locked up exclusive insanely long-term deals with the MLB and MLBPA, I was legitimately surprised. I received a text message about it and my heart raced. I was in the middle of a meeting, but I couldn’t even tell you what that meeting was about. My thoughts immediately went to my friends who still work at Topps. I shot them texts – and I actually broke the news to some of them!
This was one of the quietest – yet significant – acquisitions that’s happened in this hobby. I’m not saying the signs weren’t there, but people in this industry love to talk. Fanatics pulling this off without so much as a whisper is what caught me and many by surprise.
Then the news came down that football and basketball were also headed to the merchandising powerhouse. Fanatics had gobbled up several exclusive deals making it poised to become the hobby’s largest trading card company in several years when all the licenses transfer over.
I was not surprised about the NFLPA and NBA jumping to Fanatics. They’ve already shown throughout the years they will go where the money is. They both dropped Topps as soon as someone else showed up with a bigger paycheck – and I can’t say I blame them.
But baseball. MLB. Now, THAT surprised me.
A couple of years ago at the Topps’ Industry Conference, a rep from MLB stood on the stage speaking to a crowd of about 250 dealers, breakers, and other industry folk. I will paraphrase, but he said Topps and MLB’s relationship was strong and they will always be partners. When it comes to hard goods (not clothing) Topps was MLB’s highest paying partner.
It felt good. It made me feel warm inside thinking MLB and Topps would be happily married forever.
Was I naïve? Maybe. Was I overly optimistic? Definitely. Do I feel loyalty to companies I work for? 100 percent!
As a collector though, I really hoped this marriage would last. I wasn’t going to be at Topps forever (I left the company about six months later), but my collecting heart loves Topps. It’s the baseball card company I grew up with. It’s the logo that has been consistent on cards through my entire life.
It will be very weird if there are no longer Topps baseball cards in years to come. The MLB license (this is for logos and team names) expires in 2025 and MLBPA license (players’ image rights) expires in 2023, which means we have one full year left of fully licensed Topps baseball cards as we know them.
Now, we wonder what the future holds for Topps. Will they try to pivot and do other things like creating cards of young stars using the NIL or sell their IP to Fanatics to keep the name alive? In this case, I’ve heard whispers of possible futures.
So, no matter what happens this time, at least I won’t be so surprised.
Weekly Trading Card News
Tracy Hackler left Panini for the Kentucky Road Show (Link)
Larry Brown Sports: Topps makes embarrassing error on Braves Topps Now card (Link)
Pop Report: PSA Grades Over 200,000 Items Again (Link)