Topps baseball cards have been synonymous with America’s pastime for over 70 years, with the company holding the exclusive license to produce MLB cards since 1981. While collectors have traditionally bought their packs and boxes at specialty stores, drug stores, and convenience stores, the sports card giant now has another major retail partner – Target.
In 2021, Target began featuring a much larger baseball card section in many of its stores across the United States. This included dedicated endcaps displaying the latest Topps series releases along with hangtags promoting special discount pricing and bonus pack promotions for Target customers. The prominent placement within the mainstream retailer helped bring baseball cards back to the forefront for many casual fans and families shopping at big box stores.
Some of the Topps series regularly found at Target include Flagship, Series 1 and 2, Diamond Kings, Allen & Ginter, Stadium Club, Chrome, and Update. Offerings vary by location but the assortment represents Topps’ core yearly releases geared towards both collectors and people looking to rip packs for fun. In addition to carrying the standard wax packs, fat packs and blasters also available, Target has exclusive retail versions such as special jumbo packs containing twice the cards.
Target takes advantage of being one of the few national chains selling trading cards by running frequent sales and promotions. Customers will often find Topps products marked down significantly from MSRP, especially closer to series release dates when demand is highest. Special bundle packs are assembled containing extras like extra packs, memorabilia cards or metal coins/pins. During baseball season, Target may tie in baseball card deals with certain team merchandise to create bundled packages for fans.
Knowing Target’s customer base includes many casual collectors and people gifting cards, the retailer ensures adequate stock levels of entry level products. In the past, specialty hobby shops had more limited quantities of inexpensive items. But at Target, value packs under $5 are reliably in stock all season long. This lower barrier to entry has reintroduced the thrill of the rip to a new generation just discovering the hobby alongside busy parents.
The massive shelf space dedicated to Topps also gives exposure to subsets and insert sets that may be overlooked elsewhere. Customers can casually browse and discover premium parallels, autographed memorabilia cards, or special photographic inserts from artists like Sandy Koufax. This wider selection coupled with lower prices versus comic/collectibles shops has turned Target into a one-stop-shop destination for all things MLB cards.
While the internet has shifted much shopping online, the placement within Target stores gets physical product directly into the hands of potential new collectors. Browsing the baseball card aisles offers serendipitous discoveries that online shopping can’t replicate. Kids especially enjoy ripping packs with parents right then and there, fueling the impulse purchase aspect integral to the hobby. For birthdays, Father’s Day or as a weekend activity, the Target baseball card section provides an engaging option.
As with any collectibles market, there is concern retailers could potentially affect the secondary/resale value of cards long term. But for the time being, the mass availability seems to only be growing enthusiasm from both seasoned and amateur collectors. Topps products graded gem mint at the major authenticators still bring top dollar. Rather than compete directly with hobby shops, Target expands the baseball cards customer base as a whole. Their focus remains on casual fans and families just looking to enjoy the present opening experience.
For the health of MLB’s card culture long term, bringing in new generations is paramount. By putting the flashy shiny packages of Topps front and center in a mainstream retailer, more eyes are exposed to the history, art, and thrill of the chase inherent to sports card collecting. Whether they become die-hard traders or just enjoy the occasional rip, Target’s larger role helps ensure baseball cards remain a fundamental part of the sport for decades still to come. As long as supply keeps up with rising demand in stores, Target shoppers of all ages can reliably get their sports card fix right alongside their grocery lists.
