Topps Officially Secures Exclusive Minor League Card License

[Jaypers]

Let the carnage commence.



Topps Secures Exclusive Minor League Baseball Card Deal


MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PROPERTIES AND THE TOPPS COMPANY SIGN EXCLUSIVE

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TRADING CARD AGREEMENT



Exclusive Multi-Year Deal Begins on January 1, 2010



Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) and the Topps Company, the leading creator and marketer of sports cards, today announced an exclusive multi-year licensing deal to make Topps the Official Baseball Card of Minor League Baseball.

The agreement makes Topps the only trading card manufacturer licensed by MLBP to produce nationally-distributed trading cards of top draft picks and prospects within Minor League Baseball, and will give Topps the rights to names & logos of the 160 affiliated Minor League clubs and current Minor League players in uniform on baseball cards and stickers beginning on January 1, 2010. In addition, Topps will now have the exclusive use of the Pro Debut logo. Its first product will be its 2010 Topps Pro Debut Series 1 to be unveiled in early March 2010.

“Topps is excited to become the official baseball card of Minor League Baseball as many of the young players today will be stars in the Major Leagues tomorrow,” said Warren Friss, Topps. “Now we’re the only trading card licensed by both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball and we look forward to a lasting relationship with both Leagues.”

“Topps continues to differentiate itself as the leader within the industry creating superior products for our fans,” said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Major League Baseball. “Many fans begin to follow their favorite players as they become standout stars in the Minor Leagues, and a major avenue to build this connection is through collecting their Minor League cards.”

Minor League Baseball and Topps annually recognize the top prospects in baseball with the Topps Player of Month Awards and year-end classification all-star teams. “We are pleased to extend our long-standing relationship with The Topps Company into licensed trading cards,” said Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner. “This provides us with a unique opportunity to continue recognizing the best and brightest minor league talent while providing our fans and collectors high-quality trading card products.”

Earlier this year, Topps became the first exclusive baseball card company of Major League Baseball in nearly 30 years. The company looks to expand its ongoing efforts to invigorate the category, continue launching ground-breaking products, improve the retail and collecting experience and make cards more relevant to children.

 

[baseballguy350]

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking.... Could Topps delay BDP one more week, and find a way to get Strasburg into the product with the new license?

 

[cgilmo]

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking.... Could Topps delay BDP one more week, and find a way to get Strasburg into the product with the new license?

no

not enough time

 

[beefycheddar]

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking.... Could Topps delay BDP one more week, and find a way to get Strasburg into the product with the new license?

No, Bowman is a MLB product and still requires individual contracts for Topps. Where as Topps can make MILB products under the Topps banner using any MILB players.

 

[cgilmo]

HYPOTHETICALLY speaking.... Could Topps delay BDP one more week, and find a way to get Strasburg into the product with the new license?

No, Bowman is a MLB product and still requires individual contracts for Topps. Where as Topps can make MILB products under the Topps banner using any MILB players.

that too

 

[Bob Loblaw]

This is going to be interesting.

UD & Panini will continue to produce their unlicensed product - Topps has the licensing. Obviously, Just and Tristar are toast.

Times, they are a-changin'. Just hope they're good changes for the consumer.

Does this affect Multi-Ad and the other manufacturers of stadium team sets? I would assume not, since the initial post indicated "nationally distributed minor league" product.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

I wonder if Topps would be producing a new line for these minor league products, or simply continue to use the Bowman line.

UD can use the college players once they finish up their college careers.

 

[beefycheddar]

I wonder if Topps would be producing a new line for these minor league products, or simply continue to use the Bowman line.

UD can use the college players once they finish up their college careers.

Bowman is a MLB Product. Topps will be producing MILB cards.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

It seems there would be a new line then.

I still consider Bowman to have the MiLB focus anyway despite its license.

I wonder if Topps would be producing a new line for these minor league products, or simply continue to use the Bowman line.

UD can use the college players once they finish up their college careers.

Bowman is a MLB Product. Topps will be producing MILB cards.

 

[beefycheddar]

It seems there would be a new line then.

I still consider Bowman to have the MiLB focus anyway despite its license.

Fitting since that makes you unique since you are the only one with that view point, including Major League Baseball and Topps.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

NVM

I'm not trying to start debate here because things will work out just fine in the end either way. It will be a fun topic of discussion in a year or two.

It seems there would be a new line then.

I still consider Bowman to have the MiLB focus anyway despite its license.

Fitting since that makes you unique since you are the only one with that view point, including Major League Baseball and Topps.

 

[brianga26]

SO EXCITED!!! I love Minor league baseball and the fact Topps has a license then it will probably be a quality product on great stock. Anyone else excited too???

 

[mwashuc06]

So will a first year players card such as players drafted in 2005 being in topps update and bowman chrome draft be considered true rookies again? For example Mike Trout is in Bowman Chrome Draft, now would that be considered his true rookie card again?

 

[Kevbo]

I hope Topps does something to sort of replace what Tristar and Just were doing with jerseys, baseballs, bats, etc.

It'll be interesting to see how they decide to put what guys in what set, too.

I'm assuming that we'll still see draft picks in their major league uniforms in a bowman product, but the checklists in Tristar and Just went pretty deep - so I'm interested in what kinds of minor league products Topps will be producing.

 

[subject to change]

I think this is a horrible blow to the hobby for a number of reasons, most of which have been discussed.

One point I haven't heard yet is how this could influence checklists going forward. In previous years, we have seen competition amongst the likes of Razor, Donruss, Just, and Tri Star to compete with or outdo the Bowman checklist in various products. While it sounds like at least EEE will still be around going forward, I'm very interested to see how Topps balances both auto and base checklists across their Bowman and MiLB lines to avoid detracting value and marketability from their other releases. I could be wrong, but I think this have a negative impact on the overall strength of Topps checklists going forward.

 

[autocut]

This is going to be interesting.

UD & Panini will continue to produce their unlicensed product - Topps has the licensing. Obviously, Just and Tristar are toast.

Times, they are a-changin'. Just hope they're good changes for the consumer.

Does this affect Multi-Ad and the other manufacturers of stadium team sets? I would assume not, since the initial post indicated "nationally distributed minor league" product.

I think Multi-ad will survive as they also make college team sets which are given away at the college games.

 

[beefycheddar]

This is going to be interesting.

UD & Panini will continue to produce their unlicensed product - Topps has the licensing. Obviously, Just and Tristar are toast.

Times, they are a-changin'. Just hope they're good changes for the consumer.

Does this affect Multi-Ad and the other manufacturers of stadium team sets? I would assume not, since the initial post indicated "nationally distributed minor league" product.

I think Multi-ad will survive as they also make college team sets which are given away at the college games.

NCAA is cracking down on those type sets if there is any sponsor or any revenue gained from the cards.

 

[autocut]

This is going to be interesting.

UD & Panini will continue to produce their unlicensed product - Topps has the licensing. Obviously, Just and Tristar are toast.

Times, they are a-changin'. Just hope they're good changes for the consumer.

Does this affect Multi-Ad and the other manufacturers of stadium team sets? I would assume not, since the initial post indicated "nationally distributed minor league" product.

I think Multi-ad will survive as they also make college team sets which are given away at the college games.

NCAA is cracking down on those type sets if there is any sponsor or any revenue gained from the cards.

Usually its a giveaway as a promotional deal to get people to come out to the games. So, i think NCAA will be lenient.

 

[subject to change]

I'm pretty sure this shouldn't impact Multi-ad or any of the other team set manufacturers. Like the TriStar deal, this license should only apply mainstream minor league card releases. Individual teams should still be able to produce and sell their own team sets each year.

 

[beefycheddar]

This is going to be interesting.

UD & Panini will continue to produce their unlicensed product - Topps has the licensing. Obviously, Just and Tristar are toast.

Times, they are a-changin'. Just hope they're good changes for the consumer.

Does this affect Multi-Ad and the other manufacturers of stadium team sets? I would assume not, since the initial post indicated "nationally distributed minor league" product.

I think Multi-ad will survive as they also make college team sets which are given away at the college games.

NCAA is cracking down on those type sets if there is any sponsor or any revenue gained from the cards.

Usually its a giveaway as a promotional deal to get people to come out to the games. So, i think NCAA will be lenient.

I've dealt with this through the Cape League and they are really cracking down on it this year. You can not make cards 100% now unless no one sponsors the cards and you just print to give away while players are in school.