Topps out---Fanatics in

[DetroitFan14]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

Might not go into full effect but there will be changes you will notice gradually. You are not going to wake up 5 years from now and see your Walmart fully stocked with fanatic blasters and megas. Prices will go up as topps tries to get as much as they can while they still have the contract and expect the sticker autograph dump products circa topps football 2015. I will be honest I am as you young folks like to call a boomer and don’t really adapt to change well can you tell me how having fanatics have the exclusive licensing for 3 major sports will benefit today’s collectors.

Purely speculation but with their direct access to players, and given the players directly benefit as the players have a stake in Fanatics, I think its realistic to think we see:

1) Fewer redemptions (they will still remain, IMO but fewer)

2) More game worn, less player worn (or as Panini has been pumping out lately, relics that aren't even worn whatsoever)

3) More direct to consumer opportunities (though, they would be wise to keep the LCS alive... some breakers, however, should be scared)

4) Fresh, new ideas. #INNOVATION

[ClipsandVols]

Originally Posted by DetroitFan14

Purely speculation but with their direct access to players, and given the players directly benefit as the players have a stake in Fanatics, I think its realistic to think we see:

1) Fewer redemptions (they will still remain, IMO but fewer)

2) More game worn, less player worn (or as Panini has been pumping out lately, relics that aren't even worn whatsoever)

3) More direct to consumer opportunities (though, they would be wise to keep the LCS alive... some breakers, however, should be scared)

4) Fresh, new ideas. #INNOVATION

As a chunky game-worn patch kinda guy, my fear is that Fanatics could keep game worn jerseys intact and sell them for a premium while putting Fanatics jerseys in the cards.

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by DetroitFan14

Purely speculation but with their direct access to players, and given the players directly benefit as the players have a stake in Fanatics, I think its realistic to think we see:

1) Fewer redemptions (they will still remain, IMO but fewer)

2) More game worn, less player worn (or as Panini has been pumping out lately, relics that aren't even worn whatsoever)

3) More direct to consumer opportunities (though, they would be wise to keep the LCS alive... some breakers, however, should be scared)

4) Fresh, new ideas. #INNOVATION

That sounds feasible and I don’t think it will matter what logo is in the corner of the card as long as they put out a good looking affordable product,but certain products topps had a staple on will be hard to replicate.

[wood minis]

Given that Topps has a lifetime exclusive with Mike Trout, does this mean no new Mike Trout cards?

[MitsurugiW]

Topps can't survive without baseball. I also don't see Fanatics being successful in the cards space UNLESS they somehow aquire the Topps brand. Ideally MUDS could license the Topps name to Fanatics for a few years until Fanatics' card division inevitably fails and then they can reaquire the baseball license and manufacture again. Just survive the storm for a few years.

The Topps brand is one of the most important in this country and it would be stupid for Fanatics to NOT try to buy the name at some point.

[monkeymcgee]

Originally Posted by wood minis

Given that Topps has a lifetime exclusive with Mike Trout, does this mean no new Mike Trout cards?

At least until Topps is no more


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[pewe]

Originally Posted by JRX

Also keep in mind, the mlb and mlpa dont care what happens with the card industry, they only see a licensing fee. So if fanatics decides to sell graded rpa on their site for thousands of dollars and doesnt sell a bunch of wax products, they wont care. They do not care about your hobby, they care about making money.

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A counter argument: the league sees cards as publicity (part of why they have input on who gets a RC in what year).

I think the league may care A LOT about the hobby, because they believe it is a virtuous cycle that causes people to consume the core product: the games themselves.

I’m the end it is about $$, and those $$ want the healthiest / vibrant / positive hobby possible.


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[DetroitFan14]

Originally Posted by wood minis

Given that Topps has a lifetime exclusive with Mike Trout, does this mean no new Mike Trout cards?

IMO Fanatics buys out Topps (Can certainly do so cheaply, now, that the MUDS acquisition is terminated) and thus, acquires Trout.

Watch out for what happens with Upper Deck as well (Tiger, Jordan, LeBron, Gretzky)

[pewe]

Originally Posted by wood minis

Given that Topps has a lifetime exclusive with Mike Trout, does this mean no new Mike Trout cards?

Is the exclusive just to autographs?

If so: Topps can still put out Trout cards (sans logos), and Fanatics can have Trout cards (sans autos).


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[Cam Brady]

Originally Posted by wood minis

Given that Topps has a lifetime exclusive with Mike Trout, does this mean no new Mike Trout cards?

Topps and Trout is the same as UD and Lebron.

If you have a deal with MLBPA you can have cards of Trout but he wont sign autographs for you.

[Cam Brady]

Originally Posted by pewe

Is the exclusive just to autographs?

If so: Topps can still put out Trout cards (sans logos), and Fanatics can have Trout cards (sans autos).


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Correct

[spuds1961]

One last question then I will go back to sniffing my old topps cards in memorium. What do you guys think will be topps last hurrah before they stop making baseball cards.

[pewe]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

One last question then I will go back to sniffing my old topps cards in memorium. What do you guys think will be topps last hurrah before they stop making baseball cards.

What makes you think Topps will stop making baseball cards? Lots of avenues that keep them in the game. Some with, some without logos, for sure. But still in the game.


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[Zauron]

Originally Posted by JRX

Also keep in mind, the mlb and mlpa dont care what happens with the card industry, they only see a licensing fee. So if fanatics decides to sell graded rpa on their site for thousands of dollars and doesnt sell a bunch of wax products, they wont care. They do not care about your hobby, they care about making money.

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It will matter because Fanatics won't be making money, so they will have to cut ties with MLB and then MLB is out of money.

Leagues want cards out there for people. Heck, they require a certain amount of sets produced a year(at least in football), probably to help publicize the league and players, and get more people into the game.

[Cam Brady]

Originally Posted by ForceChange77

Mudricks public offering of Topps has been terminated , per rovell

Good move.

Topps is never going to be worth more to Fanatics than it is right now.

Would not be shocked if Eisner sells Topps to Fanatics before rights expire and Fanatics absorbs the sports/entertainment division whole.

Eisner is basically Bud Fox at this point and Topps is Blue Star.

[Stech36]

Originally Posted by Zauron

It will matter because Fanatics won't be making money, so they will have to cut ties with MLB and then MLB is out of money.

Leagues want cards out there for people. Heck, they require a certain amount of sets produced a year(at least in football), probably to help publicize the league and players, and get more people into the game.

That was when they were getting $20 million. Now they’re getting $200 million. They might’ve said just do what you want at that point

[pewe]

BTW correct me if I’m wrong, but Topps already does 1:1 agreements with all the prospects that are included in Bowman. Because those players are not part of MLBPA.

…so Topps already has a well oiled machine to go around MLBPA and get rights to all the players they care about. And thus continue to produce cards for as long as they’d like.

They just lose logos. And maybe start using MiLB logos for prospects that they license from the individual teams?

Would you prefer Topps sans logos, or Fanatics with them???


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[SupermanBrandon]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

One last question then I will go back to sniffing my old topps cards in memorium. What do you guys think will be topps last hurrah before they stop making baseball cards.

Go check their 2015 NFL. Complete Trash.


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[calculusdork]

Here's what I don't get ...

The licensing costs are *a lot*, but they are not *that much*. I can't believe that if MLB/MLBPA were to remove the exclusivity, and say "licenses cost $1M for anyone who wants one", that you wouldn't have several takers.

I just want the mid 90's back. There were so many beautiful cards made during that time. And I'm sure I'm ignorant on the financial aspect of it ... I just don't understand why the license has to be exclusive.

[Frog]

Originally Posted by Cam Brady

Topps and Trout is the same as UD and Lebron.

If you have a deal with MLBPA you can have cards of Trout but he wont sign autographs for you.

Are Trout autos already skyrocketing because of this? It happened with LeBron Cavs autos, so I can see everyone buying what they can now with this news.

[thenightman]

Originally Posted by ClipsandVols

As a chunky game-worn patch kinda guy, my fear is that Fanatics could keep game worn jerseys intact and sell them for a premium while putting Fanatics jerseys in the cards.

With most relic cards, Fanatics would literally only have to use 1 jersey to patch all the cards. Players typically play in, at least, a couple hundred jerseys a year. I don't think it'll be an issue.

[calculusdork]

Originally Posted by Stech36

That was when they were getting $20 million. Now they’re getting $200 million. They might’ve said just do what you want at that point

Nevermind, this probably answers my question. $200M is a lot more than $20M.

(But dang, in 2021, it's still just not *that much*.)

[k13]

Originally Posted by DetroitFan14

IMO, this entire Fanatics takeover will be a net positive for the hobby.

Why?

Booms in this hobby never last long.

[k13]

Originally Posted by Frog

Are Trout autos already skyrocketing because of this? It happened with LeBron Cavs autos, so I can see everyone buying what they can now with this news.

No one cares about Trout plus he has a million autos out there.

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by pewe

What makes you think Topps will stop making baseball cards? Lots of avenues that keep them in the game. Some with, some without logos, for sure. But still in the game.


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Yes they can make generic non logo cards ala panini but it will not be the same. They at this point would be best served to sell their card division to fanatics and be done with it, maybe fanatics keeps the brand name maybe it doesn’t but the last thing collectors need is another non licensed company making cards.