Fanatics, Topps announce trading card agreement for college athletes
If you want to get your hands on the first trading cards of Alabama quarterback (and Heisman Trophy winner) Bryce Young, you won’t have to wait until next year’s NFL draft.
Young is one of many college athletes who will be featured on cards this year, thanks to an agreement between Fanatics Collectables and Topps.
Here are more details on the deal, per ESPN.com’s Dan Hajducky:
Beginning this fall, Topps (under its Bowman University brand) will release non-exclusive trading cards featuring current athletes from roughly 100 universities. The deals fall under NIL rights and put money in the pockets of some of college sports’ biggest names. Athletes won’t be restricted from signing for other trading card companies.
Deals can vary in value from player to player, and according to a source familiar with negotiations, could be up to five figures.
Topps has also secured multiyear exclusive rights with more than 35 colleges, which include the majority of Power 5 conference schools. Beginning as early as 2023, the list will include Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Oregon and Wisconsin. Some entering in 2025 are Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Kansas, LSU, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
Those trading card offerings — the largest student-athlete trading card venture ever launched — will feature official university trademarks with NIL rights from both current athletes and former players.
Other notable quarterbacks such as USC’s Caleb Williams, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett will be among the college football players featured this year.
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