TOPPS OUT, FANATICS IN WITH MLB AND MLBPA BASEBALL CARD DEALS
Just hours before this issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly went to press, e Wall Street Journal broke the shocking news that Fanatics would take over the Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association licenses exclusively beginning in 2026.
And Topps, aer 70 years of MLB cards, learned it would be out.
is is a bombshell that seemingly no one saw coming. e changes to the category will be major and will include more than just MLB and MLBPA. According to Jared Diamond of e Wall Street Journal, the MLBPA sent out a memo to players August 19 informing them of the deal, Fanatics will be forming a new trading card company that the league and union would have equity in.
e new Fanatics card company will be headed by Stockx‘s Josh Luber.
Topps currently holds the MLB exclusive on baseball cards through 2025 so it’ll be a while before any licensing changes come into effect. For collectors, things should look the same for now, at least.
One day aer the news broke, Topps and Mudrick Capital called off plans to merge. e move keeps Topps as a private company.
Fanatics is already a giant in virtually every facet of licensed sports merchandise with established partnerships across the professional and collegiate levels. The company is currently valued at $18 billion.
is year, Topps is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its baseball card line. ey’ve been producing cards for the sport continuously since 1951. ey’ve had the MLB exclusive since 2010.