Fanatics will be buying Topps, according to a report from Sportico on Monday night, and the deal will be publicly revealed by the companies on Tuesday.

In August Fanatics revealed it has a deal to be the exclusive card-maker for Major League Baseball and it added the NFL and the NBA soon thereafter, giving the leagues equity in the new company. A CNBC report estimated the deal at $500 million and that excludes the company's candy division. That will now be known as The Bazooka Company after its famous gum brand.

Beyond a continuation of Topps MLB this should mean the return of Topps' NBA and NFL lines at some point.

--

Update: The first official confirmation of the sale came via Twitter -- and it's effective today.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: Reactions to Fanatics buying Topps, Wander Franco's 2021 Rookie Cards, new pulls, an NBA surprise and more.

Continue reading →

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — Piece of The Game Sports Cards and Collectibles, a one-of-a-kind sports cards and collectibles store, opens its flagship location today.

Moving operations from an online platform, which serves some of the largest sports collectibles markets in the U.S., has been a goal of owner David Prince for the last two years. Their first location -- off bustling U.S. Route 9 in Wappingers Falls -- is the prototype for future stores already slated to open in Westchester County, N.Y., and Mahwah, N.J., over the next year. The goal is to "have a truly unique and immersive experience for avid sports cards and collectible patrons." There is a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at 4 p.m. with a public opening tomorrow at 11 a.m.

"As a card collector since I was a child, I wanted to create a space that allows the cards to be displayed as they should be," Prince said. "Cards are now considered alternative assets, similar to fine art, and my store displays cards and collectibles as such."

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: Big pulls, big slab stacks, Hall of Fame voters and more in today's edition.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: NFL licensing news and reactions, an NFL trade, a big NFL pull and more breaks in this Wednesday edition.

Continue reading →

Update: More details have been added since the initial Aug. 19 news.

--

Will it be the end of an era?

The Wall Street Journal, Sportico and Action Network are reporting that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are going to sign new exclusive licensing agreements to make their baseball cards via Fanatics -- the multi-faceted business giant that, well, has never made baseball cards before.

Topps and Panini America are the present card-makers with Topps holding rights to both licenses and Panini holding just an MLB Players deal. According to the reports, the Topps deal runs until 2026 with the union deal until 2023. Topps has made MLB cards continuously since 1951.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: The day after ... MLB, NBA and NFL fans ponder the Fanatics fallout.

Continue reading →

We're just 40 days away from the start of the 41st National Sports Collectors Convention and there are some new details to show that the event will be a little different when things kick off at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., on July 28.

The map for the corporate pavilion was revealed on Friday with some new additions to the row to know. Wild Card will be there as an exhibitor with new cardboard, for example, while Hybrid Grading Approach and Pro-Mold will add a new presence in the grading and supplies realms. Noticeably absent from the area? Upper Deck will not have a booth there -- a move that should impact the lineup of wrapper redemption programs for collectors to partake in while at the show.

Blowout Cards will be at the center of it all, though, nestled between Panini America, Leaf Trading Cards and Fanatics at the show -- Booth No. 854 as seen above -- with releases eligible for all wrapper redemptions available for the duration of the event.

Continue reading →

There are plenty of everyday kinds of game-used items out there that never show up on the auction block en masse, are rarely cut up and put into sports cards and rarely get autograph or authentication treatment or other attention.

But they are out there -- and they can pop up on the auction block often. Sometimes they can surprise you with how much they sell for -- stuff like champagne corks and bottles have been authenticated and stickered by some teams after championships. Then there are displays using confetti, pieces of floors, dirt, turf, nets ... they've nearly all shown up in cards, too.

But not this one? Nothing like my game-used Gatorade bottle ... at least that I know of. (Tell me if I missed those cards!)

You can keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there are some really unique pieces and some normal stuff found over recent months.

--

BETTER THAN A BOX.
The Piece: Sasha Banks 2019 Topps WWE Undisputed original art by Rob Schamberger
The Price: Same as a box of this year's Undisputed cards
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: For the last two years, Topps' Undisputed sets have included a subset showcasing the work of WWE artist Rob Schamberger whose pieces also have been found on countless prints, shirts and more as well as in WWE Canvas 2 Canvas video shorts. How popular is his work? Well, wrestler-signed prints have their own section over at WWE Auction and he also had original card-sized works in last year's Transcendent boxes -- and this year's Undisputed set has his autographs as one of its chases. One card from last year's set that got my attention upon arrival was the Banks, which I even submitted for grading and I hadn't really thought about that one until just recently with this year's new set. What popped up? Well, he launched his new website, Schamberger Labs, where collectors can find prints, original pieces and more and that's where I found this original. For months now, I had been eyeing an original watercolor/ink piece to showcase here (story perhaps to come later ... if I do grab that one) but with the new site announcement one recent morning I checked things out and was shocked to see this original. (His photo is above since it's too large for me to photograph well.) I hadn't really imagined any art from this set ever being available but I grabbed it with little hesitation. I figured these pieces might be locked away in Topps' or WWE's possession given the card presence, but, no, the Banks and a handful of other pieces were up for grabs. (Some are still there.) These 11-by-15 pieces aren't overwhelmingly large to manage -- mine is in a photo top-loader for now -- and there's a strong chance I'll display it at some point, though I never really display any of my buys. (Well, beyond showing them off here.) This was one of my favorite finds of the year ... and it's been a good year (of shopping at home).
Grab a box right here: 2020 Topps WWE Undisputed

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

I'm a sucker for a mystery grab bag on a lot of fronts and this one, well, is one of those results that has a story ... or really a bit of an anecdote behind it with a team you might have heard a lot about lately.

It's a ball with not one, not two but three authentication stickers taking over one panel -- and not all that aesthetically -- but that's because it started out as a Steiner Sports acquisition from a team and then when Fanatics bought out and took over Steiner then it stickered it up, too. (Ironically neither of those codes works ... it's no big deal and I chuckled.)

Meanwhile, the MLB Authentication sticker is the one that matters the most ... and this time it definitely revealed something of note. Sorta.

Well, you can keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

Tom Brady has another new team.

Fanatics and the Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback revealed on Wednesday morning that they have signed an exclusive multi-year deal for the future Hall of Famer's autographed memorabilia to only be produced in the future via Fanatics Authentic, its memorabilia division. The six-time Super Bowl champ also will sell game-used memorabilia via the company.

“Fanatics is a brand synonymous with authenticity, in both the merchandise they provide and the timeless memories they create that go well beyond a jersey or a football,” Brady said in a prepared release. “Michael Rubin and Fanatics have been great partners throughout the ALL-IN Challenge, and I’m proud to be aligned with a company that is creating these types of genuine connections for people all over the world.”

Continue reading →

Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's some new stuff and some oddball stuff as I'm still waiting on a bunch of pick-ups to arrive.

--

A BIGGER DEAL 
The Card: Jasson Dominguez 2020 Bowman wall art (/99)
The Price: $17.50 (after promotional discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy's iconic card this year has eluded me beyond a couple of standard Bowman cards I pulled in blasters -- all I really wanted was a clean grading-worthy Chrome, but no -- so I opted for a limited version of a card that's a big deal this year but in bigger form as Topps wall art. This is an 11-by-13 version of the card that Topps sold on its site for $24.99 (sold out) but with a 30 percent discount if you buy three posters of any kind. I opted for this one and some other stuff you'll see here in the coming weeks and months. Will Dominguez pay off for the many chasing him? We'll find out eventually but this one fits into my stash pretty well no matter what as I try to pick off Rookie Cards as wall art -- mostly Heritage but I also include a few other iconic cards.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but 2020 Bowman can be yours in a few forms here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

With plenty of chatter about what an MLB season might (or might not) consist of this year -- and nothing yet firm -- it seems like many of the typical traditions and events that we're used to are potentially going out the window.

That's not necessarily a bad thing in some ways -- it will allow MLB to do some dramatic tinkering and some of those it might have wanted to try but couldn't pull it off for a myriad of reasons. But one thing that might not be possible or may have to wait until after the regular season ends is the All-Star Game.

The series of events that are all tied to that event include the prospector must-see Futures Game, an always forgettable (yet oddly watchable) All-Star Celebrity Softball Game and the gem of them all if you ask me ... the Home Run Derby.

And that leads to this month's item, which I was intending to hold until July, but, well, ... you know (cue the Cardi B wail) "Coronavirus!"

Keep reading to see this month's item ...

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: NFL Draft chatter, new pulls from football, and basketball, Baby Yoda and a Topps return to football?

Continue reading →

This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.

This time? Five things I might be looking for right now ...

DRAFT-DAY DRAMA PICK-UPS
Here's a spoiler for tonight's NFL Draft ... no matter where Tua Tagovailoa lands -- good or bad, high pick or low pick -- I'm going to be buying something on the affordable side. Why? I don't have an NFL team and I'm not sure I really want one -- my fantasy team is fine for that -- and my seasonal collecting football habit will be satisfied by stuff like what's found in 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks where he's on the box yet I'm 0-for-the-year finding him in any form. I don't really have any needs for the guys not in the uniforms that match his in this release, but tonight we'll find out where all of those other guys go and their new fans will start chasing what options they have for cardboard right now. It could be warmer than usual considering that there will inevitably be delays the rest of the year in some form or fashion ...whether it's just the cardboard in the short-term or the play, which is a possibility, getting pushed later into the fall. I have my team and my players I'll be looking for -- and it's a good-looking year for football cards across the board no matter where guys end up.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

Continue reading →

Have you seen the latest cool cards from a new release? With so many options for collectors of all kinds arriving every week it's possible you haven't. That's where Buzz comes in -- well at least on one brand you'll see here from time to time in what we're calling Buzz's Pick Six. Simply put, here are six cards from a new arrival that seemed interesting to this collector and we think they might interest you, too.

This week's list: Six sports experiences up for auction in the All-In Challenge that got Buzz's attention.

--

THE NFL'S GOAT STEALS THE SHOW
The Experience: Tom Brady's first Tampa Bay Bucs game-used jersey, cleats & more
The Price: $140,000 (so far ... after six bids)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The winner of this one gets the choice of a private workout or a private dinner with Brady following his home debut with the Bucs (whenever that happens) -- and the winner gets Brady's first game-used jersey as well as his cleats as part of this auction in the All-In Challenge, which also has a number of other experiences up for grabs via raffle ticket formats. Brady's first Bucs jersey is a huge deal if you ask me ... but there are other actions also worth a look.

For simplicity, this list is limited to a few from the 66 auctions and it's focused on the sports world -- there are far more other things out there, including film roles, golf outings with athletes and celebs, the chance to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated and even the chance to be an NBA Draft pick -- all of those via tickets starting as low as $10. More than $8.1 million has been raised so far.

Keep reading for five more auctions that caught my eye ...

Continue reading →

With the sports world in a massive pause with everything in flux -- a weird time for sure -- I figured I'd go with the weird item in the Collecting Game-used series this month.

And you can actually call this one "Collecting Pregame-used."

The item you see above is a shirt presented to and used by an NBA player not long ago (and who was having a pretty solid campaign this year) and it's not some super-pricey piece or relatively amazing visual, though you should know some of the faces on the front. However, it was a series of locker room photos about what the team had planned for this marketing event that got me to jump on this one.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the item in action (sorta).

Continue reading →

Sometimes, it's just dumb luck.

That's the lesson of this month's Collecting Game-used item. In short, this baseball had been sitting on my desk a while now -- I picked it up via a grab bag/mystery box via Fanatics for a cheap price (less than two blasters) -- and figured I'd finally do a photo check for the players noted on its MLB Authentication.

It had three names attached but none that made me really want to go look -- the downside of a mystery box -- but it turned out to be a jaw-dropper thanks to details mentioned in info from the photographer who's noted above. This swing from Wilmer Difo came in the eighth inning -- his only swing of the at-bat -- that made this one a match.

You can keep reading to see the full details ... and the ball in action.

Continue reading →

This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.

This time? Five MLB items fans should own ... or beginners could use.

SOMETHING DIRTY...
Game-used and fully authenticated MLB dirt is seemingly everywhere and it's often not expensive at all -- yet I'd bet a lot of collectors who consider their stashes to be on the "serious" side don't have anything dirty in them at all. Dirt Relics have been in play in a few brands in the past with one of them being 2019 Topps Opening Day as you can see here. You can find sealed miniature bottles of MLB authenticated dirt from team sites on MLB.com, framed displays that include small capsules embedded into them and, yes, some baseball cards. Heck, I've even seen dirt loaded into writing pens tied to teams. Most of these items aren't aren't that expensive and you can pretty much collect authenticated dirt from all stadiums or even key events like World Series or All-Star Games if you hunt online. (MLB is big on dirt and using it.) You easily can start a small mystery box for your team's fan with something like this and add to it ... keep reading.

Continue reading →

We know all of those group-breakers out there are busy ... but this one's for you.

And it's free -- so keep reading.

The first 100 group-breakers to enter the Blowout Cards 2020 Superb Owl Breaker Edition Promotion will get a spot in a grid for the big game once the Blowout team confirms their info. There's a big prize to be had with this one -- and it can be used however you want if you win, of course -- but if the winner decides to use prize as a group-break, then Blowout Cards will help promote that event.

What's the prize?

Continue reading →

Not all gamers are super-impressive. In fact, some are nearly anonymous but since they are tied to a certain player there can be more appeal than other items that might look just like it.

This month's game-used piece? Well, it's the game-used ball above -- and it's arguably the least-impressive item of the bunch in this series so far but it's also one that cost less than the price of two blaster boxes and was in a mystery box from Fanatics. This one's all about some timing.

So, this time, we'll bring this ball's life back to life -- as least as best we can -- with its key player attached being Washington Nationals veteran Ryan Zimmerman, who had a pretty solid game on Monday and whose Nats career could be coming to an end this year.

You can keep reading to see the details.

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Panini Contenders football cards (11-pack blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for this and more)

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 88
Base set completion: 
74 of 100 (74 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Patrick Mahomes II, Julio Jones, Derrick Henry, Aaron Donald, Mitchell Trubisky, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Christian McCaffrey, Khalil Mack, Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, Cam Newton, Deshaun Watson, Amari Cooper, Aaron Rodgers, Antonio Brown, Michael Thomas, Marlon Mack, Alvin Kamara, Derek Carr, Rob Gronkowski, Todd Gurley II, Marcus Mariota, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees

Continue reading →

Not all game-used items are obviously documentable in this age of super-HD cameras, super-slo-mo replays and non-stop viral replay potential.

While that's tough for some to understand -- something just as perplexing as the idea that not every single little thing at a game can be authenticated and stickered -- it's also not that tough as some types of items are anonymous in their roles before our eyes. While this Collecting Game-used series has stuck with basics like caps, balls, bases and pucks in the past, this month's piece isn't one where I can definitively photo-match it to in-game action. However, it is authenticated as close as possible as it can be -- it's legit and it was a pick-up from the last days of Steiner Sports, which will be no more next month after that company was purchased by Fanatics.

What is the item? Keep reading to see the details ...

Continue reading →

They can't all be the longballs.

In fact, most game-used baseballs that arrive into collectors' hands are far from that. They're often the near-anonymous pitch in the dirt or an even worse (unless you collect pitchers) swing-and-miss that touched absolutely nothing but leather.

But this one from Curtis Granderson? It's a bit different -- and the video I found researching this one shows you nearly every step in the life of this baseball.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

Continue reading →