UFC License Moving from Panini America to Fanatics/Topps
The UFC trading card license is moving back to Topps as Fanatics Collectibles and the world’s top mixed martial arts organization announced last Wednesday that they had signed an exclusive multi-year deal!
The cards will be produced under the Topps brand, which first owned the exclusive rights to UFC trading cards from 2009 to 2020. Panini America took over the license in 2021, but as Fanatics Collectibles’ vice president of global licensing and partner development Kelvin Smith told ESPN, UFC is “coming home.”
“If you’re a collector and fan who doesn’t necessarily have an opportunity to go to a fight, this is a way you can engage with or be closer to your favorite athlete,” Smith said.
The next UFC product to be released under the Topps brand will be 2024 Topps Chrome UFC, which is scheduled to be released on Feb. 28th.
“We are excited to again join creative forces with Fanatics Collectibles and Topps, celebrating the sport of MMA and the unrivaled popularity of UFC through its unique personalities and historic moments,” stated Tracey Bleczinski, Senior Vice President, UFC Global Consumer Products. “UFC fans have long supported a strong marketplace for collectibles, and this new collaboration with Fanatics and Topps will give UFC fans a great way to stay engaged in the sport and connected to their favorite athletes.”
The deal fortifies an existing partnership between UFC and Fanatics Commerce. On Fanatics Live, a creator-run live card breaking (interactive card pack and box openings) and shopping platform, fans and collectors can watch as athletes join live and give exclusive interviews!
“Today is a day of celebration for both the hobby and all UFC fans,” Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan said. “UFC trading cards are incredibly popular among collectors. [We] are truly honored to be able to once again make innovative and fun cards featuring the next wave of stars.”
Fanatics Collectibles will utilize its live breaking/commerce platform Fanatics Live to help promote its UFC line with athlete interviews and fighters joining live card breaks. UFC and Fanatics already have an existing partnership for memorabilia and apparel that’s sold on site and online through UFC Commerce.
”We appreciated [Panini’s] passion for the sport and the athletes,” Bleczinski said, adding that Fanatics Live was a selling point. “We started a new wide-ranging licensing partnership with Fanatics that also includes event and e-commerce merchandise. Fanatics has become a leader in the merchandise industry by being innovative and pushing the envelope. We’re confident they can help us take our trading card business to the next level.”
It has been a busy month for TKO Group Holdings, the sports and entertainment company resulting from the WWE and UFC merger. A 10-year, $5 billion partnership between Netflix and WWE will bring “Raw” to the streaming service starting in January 2025.
Trace ‘N Chase is a proud Authorized Retailer for Topps & Fanatics products, carries a wide lineup of trading cards and will happily offer UFC licensed products when they become available!
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