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LAS VEGAS & LOS ANGELES — Today, UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization and part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), and Fanatics Collectibles announced an exclusive multi-year trading card partnership that sees Topps make an exciting return to the sport. The agreement was negotiated in consultation with UFC’s licensing agent IMG.
Topps was a UFC partner from 2009-2020, creating UFC’s first-ever trading cards. The highly anticipated new product will be 2024 Topps Chrome UFC, which hits retail and hobby shops on Feb. 28. The set will include 200 base cards across a rainbow of color and tech parallels with several key insert cards: SuperGiant, 1954 Topps International Flair, AKA and Tale of the Tape. There will also be two autographs in every box, featuring some of the biggest names in the UFC, including bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
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“We are excited to again join creative forces with Fanatics Collectibles and Topps, celebrating the sport of MMA and the unrivaled popularity of UFC through its unique personalities and historic moments,” said Tracey Bleczinski, Senior Vice President, UFC Global Consumer Products. “UFC fans have long supported a strong marketplace for collectibles, and this new collaboration with Fanatics and Topps will give UFC fans a great way to stay engaged in the sport and connected to their favorite athletes.”
“Today is a day of celebration for both the hobby and all UFC fans,” said Fanatics Collectibles CEO, Mike Mahan. “UFC trading cards are incredibly popular among collectors – and we are truly honored to be able to once again make innovative and fun cards featuring the next wave of stars.”
Fanatics Collectibles plans to support the UFC partnership with a variety of promotional initiatives, including featured content on Fanatics Live – the live commerce platform that lives within Fanatics’ digital sports platform. On Fanatics Live, collectors and fans will be able to see special interviews with UFC athletes as the fighters join in on live card breaks. This deal builds on an existing e-commerce and live-event partnership between UFC and Fanatics Commerce.
About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 243 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.
About Fanatics Collectibles
Fanatics Collectibles is a new model and vision for the hobby fundamentally changing the experience for current and future collectors, leagues, and players across many professional and college sports. The organization secured long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports properties, including MLB, MLBPA, NBA, NBPA, and NFLPA. In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, establishing the preeminent licensed trading card brand as the cornerstone of Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles business and jumpstarted its MLB and MLBPA rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240131933028/en/
Contacts
Zack Smith
zasmith@fanatics.com
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