Tag Archives: owns

WHO OWNS TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS

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Topps was founded in 1938 by four brothers named Topps: Joseph (“Yosse”), Abraham (“Abba”), Izzy, and Harold. The brothers developed innovative packaging and merchandising for their chewing gum products and trading cards. Topps’ most popular early product was its gum with baseball cards included in the wrapper. In 1952, Topps obtained the exclusive rights to produce baseball cards featuring active Major League Baseball players, giving it a monopoly that would last decades. Over the following years, Topps expanded its offerings to include other sports leagues and pop culture properties.

For much of the 20th century, Topps dominated the sports and non-sports trading card industry in America and around the world. In recent decades Topps has faced increasing competition from other card companies like Panini and Upper Deck. These competitors obtained licenses for other major sports leagues, cutting into Topps’ market share. In the 1990s, MLB also withdrew Topps’ exclusive license and began allowing other companies to produce baseball cards as well. Nevertheless, Topps remains the top brand in the industry thanks to its extensive library of licenses and iconic baseball card history.

In 1992, Topps went public and began trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “TOPP”. The company struggled financially in the late 1990s and 2000s due to rising production costs, decreased card collecting among children, and the loss of its MLB monopoly. In 2007, Topps was taken private in a leveraged buyout by Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners.

Under Eisner’s leadership as Chairman, Topps reorganized its business around strategic acquisitions and a digital strategy. In addition to acquiring competitors like Bazooka Candy Brands and the Jelly Belly Candy Company, Topps launched online gaming platforms and apps related to its sports cards. Topps BUNT and Topps NOW allow users to collect and trade virtual versions of Topps cards across mobile devices.

In October 2020, Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company, agreed to merge with Topps in a deal that valued Topps at $1.3 billion. Upon completing the transaction in 2021, Topps’ stock moved from NASDAQ to the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker “TOPP”. Under the current ownership and leadership, Topps aims to leverage its vast catalog of intellectual property rights and expand further into digital platforms, apps, collectibles, and e-commerce. While facing challenges from rivals, Topps remains the iconic leader in sports and entertainment cards globally thanks to over 80 years of brand recognition and its pioneering role in cardmaking history.

Today Topps is incorporated as Topps Company, Inc. and is headquartered in New York City. Michael Eisner, via The Tornante Company, remains Chairman of Topps, and Michael Brandstaedter serves as CEO. Topps continues to produce its storied baseball cards while expanding its offerings across other sports like football, soccer, and hockey. Topps’ world-renowned trading cards, along with its confectionery products and digital platforms, cement its legacy as an American entertainment institution and leader in the sports collectibles industry.

WHO OWNS DONRUSS BASEBALL CARDS

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Donruss is a prominent brand of sports trading cards that are primarily focused on baseball. The company has an interesting ownership history that has seen it pass through several different entities over the decades.

The Donruss brand was originally founded in 1981 by an entrepreneur named Sal Anastassiou. Anastassiou was interested in competing with the two dominant baseball card companies at the time, Topps and Fleer. He secured licenses from Major League Baseball and the players union to produce and distribute baseball cards under the Donruss name.

In those early years, Donruss established itself as the third major player in the baseball card market. They put out annual sets competing directly with Topps and Fleer for collectors and retailers. Anastassiou owned and operated Donruss independently for over a decade. In the early 1990s he made the decision to sell the Donruss brand and business.

In 1991, Anastassiou sold Donruss to Playoff Corp., a sports and entertainment licensing firm. Playoff Corp. wanted to acquire the Donruss brand to further expand their sports products portfolio. For the next few years, Donruss baseball cards continued to be designed, manufactured and distributed, now under the ownership of Playoff Corp.

In the mid-1990s the sports card market began to collapse from overproduction in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Many collectors lost interest which hurt sales and caused a decline. Playoff Corp. struggled with the business challenges facing Donruss and the collectibles industry. In 1997, Playoff decided to get out of the baseball card manufacturing business and sought a buyer for Donruss.

The company that acquired Donruss from Playoff Corp. in 1997 was PCA International based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. PCA was a manufacturer and marketer of novelty items, seeking to diversify into sports collectibles. They saw potential value in the Donruss brand identity and history among collectors. Under PCA ownership, Donruss card production continued through the late 1990s and early 2000s.

During the PCA ownership period, Donruss carded went through some changes to modernize their offerings. They introduced insert sets highlighting star players, focusing more on photography and card design elements beyond just player stats. The baseball card market was still suppressed from the early 90s boom and bust.

By the mid-2000s, PCA was looking to exit the licensed sports collectibles field. In 2006, they sold the Donruss brand and card license to rival company Leaf Trading Cards International, based in Columbus, Ohio. Leaf was a leading maker of non-sports pop culture cards but sought to expand further into the baseball market. They viewed Donruss as a respected brand that could help their mission.

Under Leaf ownership, Donruss experienced a resurgence by focusing on innovative premium products that collectors and investors were demanding after the down years. Leaf capitalized on trends toward memorabilia cards, autographs and relic cards inserting pieces of game-used equipment. They also emphasized parallel and short-printed “hits” to drive chase factor sales.

By the late 2000s and 2010s, Leaf had revitalized Donruss as a top brand again through their diversified business model. In 2020 Leaf itself was acquired by The Drive Authentics, a manufacturer and marketer of authenticated memorabilia collectibles based in Irvine, California.

Today, Donruss baseball cards continue to be produced and marketed to new and vintage collectors. But it is now under the corporate ownership and licensing management of The Drive Authentics, who owns both Leaf and Donruss brands. They aim to keep the classic Donruss aesthetic alive while adapting to staying ahead of trends in the modern trading card industry through innovative products and strong MLB/MLBPA partnerships.

So in summary – Donruss baseball cards have been owned and operated by multiple corporate entities since its founding in the early 1980s, passing between Sal Anastassiou, Playoff Corp, PCA International, Leaf Trading Cards and now currently The Drive Authentics – demonstrating the volatility but also longevity of the collectibles market and this iconic brand within it.

DARIO OWNS 145 BASEBALL CARDS

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Dario’s Baseball Card Collection

Dario has loved baseball for as long as he can remember. From a young age, he would spend hours watching games with his dad and learning the rich history of America’s pastime. While other kids his age were into video games or sports, Dario became fascinated by baseball cards. There was just something magical about holding a little piece of cardboard with a photo and stats of his favorite players.

When Dario turned 8, his parents surprised him with a box of 50 random baseball cards to start his own collection. He was thrilled as he spent the whole day sorting and examining each new addition. A few stood out right away like a Mickey Mantle rookie card from 1952 and a Babe Ruth card from 1933 that looked like it had seen better days. Even back then, Dario had an eye for finding valuable vintage gems.

From there, Dario’s collection steadily grew through birthday and holiday gifts from relatives who knew of his passion. He would also convince his parents to stop at the local card shop whenever they were near one. Before long, Dario had amassed a few hundred cards spanning many decades of baseball history. Organizing and cataloging everything became a fun project in itself.

In middle school, Dario joined the baseball card club that met weekly. Trading and discussing cards with other enthusiasts only fueled his interest more. Sometimes they would chip in together to buy unopened packs or boxes from the local shop. Dario also started researching prices online to get a sense of what different cards were worth. He dreamed of one day having a $100,000 collection.

Through high school, Dario’s focus shifted more to sports and girls for a while. But he never lost his love for his baseball card collection, which was carefully stored in binders and boxes in his room. After graduation, Dario decided to take a year off before college to work and travel. During this time, he began building his collection back up in earnest.

With more disposable income and no school responsibilities, Dario treated himself to higher end boxes, packs and individual vintage cards online. He joined several baseball card community forums and groups on Facebook to seek advice and make deals. Dario’s sharp eye and research skills led him to consistently find great cards at fair market prices.

Within a year, Dario’s collection had grown to over 1,000 unique baseball cards. The real gems included a 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, and a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth. Getting his hands on those high value, historically significant pieces of cardboard was a major thrill. Dario also took pride in having a well-rounded collection that represented the entire history of the sport.

By his early 20s, Dario had parlayed his passion into a side business at local card shows and conventions. He enjoyed interacting with customers, discussing the intricacies of the hobby and helping others grow their own collections. Dario also provided authentication and valuation services which utilized his extensive knowledge. The additional income let him continue expanding his personal collection even more.

Today at age 25, Dario’s prized baseball card collection has grown to a total of 145 unique items after years of dedicated collecting. The real show stoppers remain the Honus Wagner, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth cards that started it all. But Dario takes just as much joy in uncovering obscure rookie cards from the 1950s and complete vintage sets. His ultimate goal is to preserve these small pieces of baseball history for future generations to enjoy.

Dario’s meticulous organization methods keep everything properly stored, displayed and cataloged. Each new addition is carefully researched to ensure its authenticity. As a true baseball historian, Dario sees his collection as an evolving project that tells the rich story of America’s pastime. While the individual cards hold nostalgic value, Dario is most proud to share his love of the game with others through this unique collection. He looks forward to many more years of hunting, trading and enjoying baseball cards both professionally and as a lifelong hobby.