Fanatics takes over exclusive NFL trading card license
Fanatics, underneath the Topps model, will produce totally licensed NFL playing cards for the primary time since 2016 and is instituting its debut and award-winning patch program, the corporate introduced Thursday.
Topps will embrace one-of-one-numbered Rookie PREM1ERE Patch Autograph playing cards and NFL Honors Gold Shield Autograph playing cards, that includes gold NFL shields taken from the jerseys of 2024 Associated Press award winners (MVP, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year) worn in the course of the 2025 season. It is a continuation of a program already used for MLB and NBA playing cards.
Fanatics is kicking off their 20-year cope with the discharge of 2025 Topps Chrome Football on April 15, after signing an settlement with the NFL Players Association that started in 2023.
“It’s a spectacular moment for our company, for the industry and for collectors,” Michael Mahan, Fanatics’ CEO of collectibles, informed ESPN. “The things we’re doing with the PREM1ERE and NFL Honors Gold Shield patches deepen and strengthen connections and storytelling. … We’re enhancing fan experience.”
Fanatics have been scooping up league licensing rights. In 2022, the corporate acquired Topps for $500 million after gaining future MLB exclusive rights in 2021, and Fanatics grew to become the exclusive NBA trading card licensee in October.
Fanatics’ debut patch program takes patches from gamers’ jerseys worn of their first regular-season sport and inserts them into one-of-one-numbered, on-card autographed playing cards.
The gold protect autograph playing cards will function shields taken from the 2025 jerseys of 2024 main NFL award winners: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Philadelphia Eagles working again Saquon Barkley, Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse.
The set additionally contains Fanatics Collectible exclusive athletes reminiscent of Daniels, Drake Maye, CJ Stroud, Bo NixJerry Rice and Tom Brady. Fanatics are additionally planning to pack giveaways and live-breaking on the 2026 NFL draft, which takes place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
“We sat down with Fanatics and asked: What have we not been doing or giving our fans that they previously wanted?” stated Casey Collins, NFL senior vp of shopper merchandise and licensing. “We felt relics was a place we needed to innovate, so we’re bringing more game-worn merchandise — jerseys, pants, footballs, coins, pylons, headbands, towels — into trading cards. We know fans want more authentic, game-used merchandise embedded into collectibles, so we’ve got exciting plans in the next few months to let them know we listened.”
Fanatics’ cope with the NFLPA sparked an antitrust lawsuit from Panini, which beforehand had licenses to provide NBA and NFL trading playing cards. Panini alleges that Fanatics has “created an entirely new monopoly spanning multiple leagues and multiple player associations.” Fanatics countersued, claiming “unfair competition, tortious interference with business relations, and breach of duty to negotiate in good faith.”
The NFL and Fanatics declined to touch upon the antitrust litigation between Panini and Fanatics.