Topps' sales of trading cards and other physical elements in its Sports and Entertainment divisions were up by 101.7% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year. While that number includes much more than baseball cards, it's safe to say there were plenty of buyers for the company's products. In a regulatory filing Tuesday, Topps stated that the … [Read more...]
English Soccer Team’s Exec Leaving to Oversee Topps’ Business Outside N.A., Japan
Topps has hired the CEO of an English pro soccer club to manage its International Sports and Entertainment division, but he’s no stranger to the company. Mark Catlin has served as CEO of Portsmouth FC for the past eight years and under Topps Chairman Michael D. Eisner's ownership of the club for the past four years. He’ll be responsible for Topps’ … [Read more...]
Topps Enters NFT Space with Series 1 Baseball Release
In announcing its recent move toward once again become a publicly traded company last week, Topps promised to become increasingly active in the digital/NFT world. It took only a matter of days for it to happen. Early Monday morning, the company announced the release of 2021 Topps Series 1 Baseball NFT (non-fungible token) collectibles in partnership with Major … [Read more...]
Topps and the Stock Market – A Closer Look at the Deal
One of the most iconic names in sports cards is returning to the ranks of the publicly traded. Again. Earlier this week, Topps struck a deal with Mudrick Capital (most recently of “meme stock fame”) that will result in the listing of Topps shares on the Nasdaq exchange. It’s a path the Company has trod before. Topps: What’s Old is New Founded in 1938, and incorporated … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: Topps Breaks Down Finances; Looks to Future
When Topps announced its decision to combine forces with an acquisition company on Tuesday, the company offered some interesting details on its finances and future plans. In touting the initiatives that led to its current valuation, Topps revealed it make a $92 million profit in 2020—a strange and unexpected time in which the sports card market exploded in the midst of a … [Read more...]
Eisner Takes Topps Public in $1.3 Billion Deal
Topps is going to be a public company once again. The iconic trading card and candy maker announced early Tuesday that it had entered into a deal for with Mudrick Capital Acquisition that’s expected to close in late second or early third quarter. The deal values Topps at $1.3 billion. Topps had been publicly owned until 2007 when Madison Dearborn Partners and … [Read more...]
Topps Opens Office In Japan
The Topps Company now has a permanent presence in Japan. The company says the goal of a new Tokyo office it's just opened is to “better serve the Japanese and Asian market’s increasing demand for trading cards.” Topps will use the facility to offer increased support to local customers and collectors in Asia. "With 80 years of card creating history under our … [Read more...]
Jill Ellis Joins Topps Board of Directors as Company Increases Soccer Push
Topps has added two-time world champion soccer coach Jill Ellis to its board of directors. Ellis, who won back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup titles as head coach of the United States women’s national team, will be tasked with guiding Topps’ efforts to grow its soccer card business around the world. “As the winningest coach in United States soccer … [Read more...]
Notes: Topps Exec Bullish on Hobby; DeJong Gets Special Cards; TriStar Show; Gary V Talks Cards with Rome
David Leiner, global general manager of sports and entertainment for Topps, says baseball card collecting is “probably the strongest we’ve seen the business in at least 20 years.” Part of a big Topps Company contingent on hand for the “Million Card Rip Party” for Series 1 last week, Leiner talked with Jeff Wilson of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram about the state of the … [Read more...]
Topps News: Astros Manager Hinch Visits Office; New On-Demand Sets
From the time he was a kid until he left home to start his pro career, Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch was an avid card collector. With the MLB interleague schedule putting the Astros in New York City last week, he stopped by the Topps offices for a segment that appeared on MLB Network and MLB.com. You can watch it below. Topps has released a couple of new … [Read more...]