Fanatics helps revive sports card hobby with athlete store visits

Fanatics, which bought Topps in 2022 for $500 million, has promoted a comeback in sports card collecting by staging store events with athletes including Jaxson Dart and Breece Hall and distributing high-value products to fans.

Fanatics' efforts are being credited with helping fuel a rebound in sports card collecting after a steep decline a decade ago. The company bought Topps in 2022 for $500 million and has pushed a strategy of athlete appearances and product innovation. CEO Michael Rubin visited five card shops in the New York area alongside players such as Breece Hall and Jaxson Dart during a weekend promotion. Events included giveaways of premium packs and graded cards and drew long lines of fans and families. What happened: - Fanatics acquired Topps in 2022 for $500 million, a move the article links to renewed industry momentum. - CEO Michael Rubin visited five shops — Grand Slam Collectables, A & S Sports Cards, Long Island Sports Cards, Major Sports Cards, and Dave and Adam's Card World — with athletes Breece Hall and Jaxson Dart. - The visits included distribution of high-value products and graded cards from Rubin’s collection and free packs that excited many children and parents. - The article reports that about 800 stores worldwide participated in the coordinated event. - Shop owner Anthony LiPetri said Fanatics’ change in distribution removed a middleman and that his store has seen roughly 30 percent year-over-year growth. Summary: Fanatics’ combination of athlete appearances and new product formats is reported to have helped bring more fans into the hobby and supported local shop sales. Undetermined at this time.