Topps Shocks Collectors and Ends Era of Baseball Card Production
On January 19, 2022, Topps shocked the sports collecting world with an announcement that sent shockwaves through the industry – they would no longer be producing baseball cards after losing the MLB licensing rights to Fanatics. For over 70 years, Topps had reigned as the exclusive producer of Major League Baseball branded trading cards. Their iconic pieces of cardboard had fueled the passions of generations of baseball fans and collectors. The sports merchandising landscape has dramatically changed in recent years, and Topps’ monopoly on MLB rights was coming to an abrupt end.
The news that Fanatics had acquired an exclusive long-term license with Major League Baseball meant Topps would no longer have the rights to use team logos or player likenesses on physical baseball cards after 2025. While digital and online card products would continue under the Topps brand, the days of opening wax packs in search of your favorite stars were numbered. For many collectors, Topps cards were an integral part of their baseball fandom and childhood memories. The loss of Topps’ MLB license signaled the closing of an era that had its roots in the early 1950s.
Topps’ Rise to Dominance
It was in 1951 when Topps began releasing their iconic gum-and-card packages at the modest price of a penny a pack. At the time, baseball cards were still a niche hobby and not the billion dollar industry they would become. However, Topps founder Sy Berger saw the potential for cards to reach a wider audience. He worked to gain exclusive deals with both major and minor leagues to include full team rosters and player photos on each issue. As baseball grew in popularity across America in the 1950s, so too did the demand for Topps cards.
By the late 1950s, Topps had established itself as the undisputed king of the baseball card industry. Not only had they cornered the market on MLB and MiLB cards, but Topps also expanded into other sports like football and hockey. They developed innovative visual designs on the fronts and backs of cards that would stand the test of time. Innovations like the color photograph on the ’59 Mickey Mantle card helped trigger the transition of cards from disposable candy add-ins to treasured collectibles.
The 1970s marked the peak of Topps’ dominance as interest in collecting cards skyrocketed. Major sets now featured 600+ cards with multi-series and variations. Topps diversified with oddball issues, sticker albums, and premium products. Thanks in large part to syndicated TV deals, baseball cards were everywhere. By the end of the decade, over 10 billion cards were sold annually in the U.S. alone. Topps had efficiently tapped into America’s pastimes of baseball and the emerging hobby.
Modern Collecting Landscape & Fanatics Deal
After expanding steadily for 50+ years, the baseball card industry was rattled in the 1990s by the arrival of upper deck and other competitors that ate into Topps’ market share. Still, Topps remained the undisputed premier brand in the space thanks to retaining the MLB license. The collectibles industry was in the midst of massive changes that would challenge traditional business models.
Digital platforms, memorabilia, and experiences were replacing boxes of cards as how many fans engaged with their favorite sports and players.
In 2021, as Topps’ MLB license was set to expire after 2025, Fanatics acquired the exclusive rights to produce licensed baseball cards and merchandise in a long-term partnership with MLB. For Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, this deal was viewed as a strategic move to gain more control over all areas of sports commerce and better integrate physical and digital assets.
While digital offerings were a focus, Fanatics has made clear that physical baseball cards would remain an important part of its portfolio. Looking ahead, the new guard is expected to leverage data and technology more aggressively to enhance the complete fan and collector experience both online and offline. True to form, Fanatics wasted no time in announcing impressive logistical plans and a goal of being MLB’s exclusive trading card provider by 2026, sooner than initially anticipated.
Legacy of Topps Baseball Cards
Despite no longer having the MLB license, Topps’ impact on the baseball card industry and wider culture cannot be understated. Beginning in the early 1950s, Topps cards helped shape how generations of fans connected with and remembered America’s Pastime. Iconic rookie cards, oddball issues, and visual innovations made collecting Topps as ingrained in the national baseball experience as peanuts and Cracker Jack.
Topps established the foundation upon which modern sports memorabilia empires are built. They fueled childhood imaginations and sparked lifelong passions. Walk into any card shop today and shelves remain lined with vintage Topps sets that still stir fond memories and maintain immense value. Names like Mantle, Koufax, Aaron, and more were forever immortalized on cardboard thanks to Topps’ rights deals and distribution skills.
While a new era of baseball cards begins under Fanatics’ watch, Topps’ impact will resonate for decades to come. The company leaves an unparalleled legacy after 70+ years of bringing baseball’s biggest stars into American homes through innovative, eye-catching designs. True to their roots selling a penny a pack, Topps grew alongside the game of baseball and fueled passions that inspired new generations of both players and collectors alike. Their cardboard creations remain integral touchpoints in our cultural history and connection to America’s Pastime.
