Topps to be replaced as the BB Card Manuracturer

[Rookiemonster]

Let’s hope this is the official death of the rookie shield. Ruining front of cards since it’s inception. I never understood why if they were going to put on the card why not put it on the back by the number .(You heard it here first)

[conor912]

Looks like Fanatics just ousted Panini for the NBA, too. Woah.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by conor912

Looks like Fanatics just ousted Panini for the NBA, too. Woah.

Given that the NBAPA has ownership in the new Fanatics company, it was never in doubt that Panini would lose their license for the NBA. They will lose their NFL license, too, since the NFL and NFLPA have ownership in the new company as well.

[conor912]

Does that mean a panini can go back to being a sandwich now?

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by conor912

Does that mean a panini can go back to being a sandwich now?

Unless you care about soccer/futbol.

[judsonhamlin]

As much as this really hits at the nostalgia we feel of opening Topps packs and building Topps sets as kids, I really can’t think of the last ‘base’ set that had a really inspired, unique design. Archives, A&G and Heritage all trade on that nostalgia feel, but probably mean not much at all to anyone under the age of 30. And the whole emerald/refractor/image swap only goes so far and quickly becomes frustrating. I mean if you’re 11 and growing up a fan of Trout, there is no way to ever get all his cards from any one year, much less over a few years. The lottery mentality might be a boon for a narrow and vaguely disturbed subsection of the community but does f all for the kids who might actually want to collect. Maybe a new brand might bring better designs and a simplified base concept while still pumping up the parallels on the higher end stuff which can pull the kids in and then get them to upgrade as they get more interested.

[Misunderestimated]

This begins to read like a bad script for an episode of Showtime's "BIllions" ...behind the scenes deals conducted in secrecy for the licenses leading to bargain-basement buy-outs and ruining mergers....
Anyway... I don't care that much for the Topps company as such -- I just want the brand to continue in good hands with its 70 yr history preserved and perpetuated. I don't really care who or what owns it as long as the owner isn't flat-out evil ...If the owner can preserve Topps the way Topps preserved its former rival Bowman's brand -- after it realized the value of this in 1989 -- that's fine.
To me, the greatest attribute of Topps Baseball cards -- like American Baseball itself in many ways -- is its history. That's really why I care about this licensing issue. I have an optimistic view that the rational profit-seekers with Fanatics understand this and will make a "play" for the Topps brand.

[egri]

Originally Posted by judsonhamlin

As much as this really hits at the nostalgia we feel of opening Topps packs and building Topps sets as kids, I really can’t think of the last ‘base’ set that had a really inspired, unique design. Archives, A&G and Heritage all trade on that nostalgia feel, but probably mean not much at all to anyone under the age of 30. And the whole emerald/refractor/image swap only goes so far and quickly becomes frustrating. I mean if you’re 11 and growing up a fan of Trout, there is no way to ever get all his cards from any one year, much less over a few years. The lottery mentality might be a boon for a narrow and vaguely disturbed subsection of the community but does f all for the kids who might actually want to collect. Maybe a new brand might bring better designs and a simplified base concept while still pumping up the parallels on the higher end stuff which can pull the kids in and then get them to upgrade as they get more interested.

I couldn't agree more. As far as the base sets go, Topps really ossified in recent years. When the best they could come up with was ripping off what Sy Berger came up with 50 years earlier, or what Allen & Ginter did in the 1880s, something had to change.