When you think baseball cards, you think Topps. For more than 65 years, Topps has been the only rock, steady producer of those 2.5 by 3.5 pieces of cardboard collectors seek, obtain and have shared over generations. It was announced today that the tradition will continue as Major League Baseball and The Topps Company today have extended their exclusive global partnership for MLB-licensed trading cards through 2025.
Since 1952, the long-standing partnership between Major League Baseball and Topps has allowed Topps to create iconic trading cards that have become engrained in baseball culture, from 1952 with Mickey Mantle to 2017 with Aaron Judge.
From humble origins of just cardboard to creating cards out of plastic, wood and leather, to including pieces of players’ game-used jerseys, bats, helmets and other items to autographed cards by the MLB’s top stars and rookies, Topps has changed with the times while still holding on to the essence of what got kids interested in collecting in the first place.
“Topps has always strived to be at the forefront of innovation,” said David Leiner, Topps Global General Manager of Sports & Entertainment. “We constantly look for new ways to bring joy and excitement to baseball fans whether they have been collecting for decades or just starting out. Our exclusive MLB license gives us the opportunity to continue as the category leader.”
With the exclusive global license, Topps has expanded it’s range with direct purchase items on it’s website, topps.com, with innovations like TOPPS NOW, the first on-demand trading card that captures the best baseball moments on a nightly basis, The Living Set which is the first cross-generational set featuring lifelike artwork and leveraging Topps iconic 1953 design.
Topps has also provided amazing opportunities for fans that are tied into their products, including the Topps\ Make Your Pro Debut contest, where a lucky fan becomes a Minor League baseball player for a day, trips to the T-Mobile Home Run Derby and All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, and private dinners with some of baseball’s greatest players and legends, such as Cubs superstar Kris Bryant and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, through its Transcendent Collection experience.
“Collecting baseball cards is such a personal experience for so many and we look for ways to enhance those moments, whether it’s through opening a pack of cards with your friends or winning a contest to throw out a first pitch,” Leiner said. “MLB and Topps aim to be a part of baseball fans’ lives from their childhood and this partnership will allow that to continue for years to come.”