In a groundbreaking move within the sports collectibles realm, Fanatics is set to repossess the licensing rights to manufacture trading cards and stickers for the Premier League, the pinnacle of professional soccer, commencing from the 2025/26 season. This impactful development transpires five years after Fanatics relinquished the license to Panini, which will uphold its agreement with the Premier League until May 2025.
Fanatics, the entity that acquired the iconic Topps brand in January 2022, currently commands rights to numerous major sports leagues and events, encompassing the likes of the NBA, NFL, UFC, and Formula 1, together with the Bundesliga and UEFA Club Competitions. This fresh accord with the Premier League is primed to substantially fortify Fanatics’ portfolio, most notably heightening its presence within the European market.
The Premier League, housing six of the globe’s ten most valuable soccer clubs, boasts a vast global fanbase, amplifying the potential reverberations of this partnership. Will Brass, the Chief Commercial Officer of the Premier League, radiated enthusiasm regarding the collaboration, accentuating Fanatics’ dedication to innovation and its proven capability in enhancing fan involvement via collectibles.
David Leiner, the President of Trading Cards at Fanatics Collectibles, imparted to ESPN the company’s blueprint to broaden the trading card sector in Europe, a territory conventionally dominated by sticker collection. Leiner underscored the Premier League’s intrigue in Fanatics’ strategy not solely pertaining to collectibles but also in how the enterprise has been cultivating player alliances, drawing attention to collaborations with sports icons such as Tom Brady and Ronald Acuna Jr.
Furthermore, Fanatics upholds e-commerce and licensed apparel partnerships with The FA and various Premier League clubs, ingraining itself more profoundly into the essence of English football. This novel pact pledges to reshape the collectibles panorama, proffering fans worldwide a more immersive and extensive collection involvement as of the 2025/26 season.
