Dallas Mavericks rookie phenom Cooper Flagg as part of special Topps autographed trading card. (Topps)
Topps has returned to the NBA trading card market, introducing new collectibles designed to connect fans with the game’s biggest moments.
In partnership with the NBA, NBPA, and Fanatics Collectibles, the company will launch 1-of-1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph cards and limited-edition Gold NBA Logoman Patch cards.
The Rookie Debut Patch will be worn on players’ jerseys during each athlete’s first official NBA game before being embedded into collectible cards.
Meanwhile, the Gold Logoman Patch will appear on jerseys of the season’s standout award winners, including the MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year.
These innovations aredesigned to give fans a tangible connection to some of the league’s most memorable moments.
“For fans, it’s a chance to hold a piece of the game in their hands,” said Matt Holt, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of merchandising partnerships, per Sports Business Journal.
Mike Mahan, CEO of Fanatics Collectibles, discussed the significance of the new patches, saying trading cards and similar memorabilia are akin to “art” for sports fans.
“Think about if someone had Michael Jordan’s Debut Patch or LeBron James’ Debut Patch. Think about what that would mean. Or the Gold Logoman MJ [might have] wore after one of his MVPs. Those are big deals. And so we think about all the stars that are yet to come. And having the Debut Patch, which is really the first time they ever step on the court, having a piece of that moment … that’s the ultimate rookie card,” he said, as reported by Sports Business Journal.
Josh Goodstadt, Chief Commercial Officer at THINK450, the licensing, partnership, and innovation arm of the NBPA,applauded the news and said this development “brings to life the collective influence of our players.”
“Topps has such a rich history in sports memorabilia and speaks to some of the most engaged fans who feel connected to players through trading cards,” he added, per Business Wire.
Despite falling out of the mainstream for some time, the trading card hobby has grown substantially in recent years, with many professional athletes increasingly embracing the pastime.
David Leiner, president of trading cards at Fanatics Collectibles, said many athletes have begun collecting memorabilia again in recent years and expects the hobby’s popularity to continue growing.
“Five years ago, there were maybe a dozen guys collecting. Today, we have over 150 MLB players collecting. I think you’re going to see a lot more guys in the NBA leaning into this and starting to collect cards,” he said, according to Axios.