Fanatics Collectibles continues to go global with landmark English Premier League partnership
Fanatics Collectibles president of trading cards, David Leiner, excited to grow collecting overseas
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Fanatics Collectibles announced a landmark multi-year trading card partnership with the English Premier League as their global reach continues with the most recognizable soccer organization in the world.
Premier League fans will now be able to collect trading cards and stickers, as well as play trading card games, starting in June 2025.
Fanatics Collectibles president of trading cards, David Leiner, could not be more excited about helping the millions of EPL fans connect with the many stars in the league.
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Josko Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Rodri of Manchester City celebrate their second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Etihad Stadium on May 4, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"The Premier League and Fanatics, we’re all about delighting fans and collectors and bringing new folks in," Leiner told Fox Business Digital. "So it was an absolute natural fit. Couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Premier League."
As Leiner explained, stickers are collected more overseas compared to trading cards. So, while many Americans may have that nostalgia factor thinking about tearing open baseball cards, the international market is one that is still evolving.
Still, the same result occurs: fans feel closer to their favorites players and teams by owning a piece of them, whether it’s a piece of a match-worn kit or boot in select cards or simply collecting their favorite team’s roster.
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"For folks in Europe, to be able to see the autographs on the cards, to see the match-worn kits or boots, they feel closer to their athletes. I hear a lot of people really intrigued in chasing those rare cards," Leiner said.
Fanatics Collectibles have been making their mark in soccer, owning the league and sport licensing rights to Germany’s Bundesliga (2008), UEFA Club Competitions (2015), and Major League Soccer here in the states (2012). They also have the rights to Major League Baseball, UFC and Formula 1, among other prominent sports leagues.
It is also worth noting that Topps, which Fanatics acquired in January 2022, had a long-standing relationship with the EPL from 1994-2019.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on May 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"We did a great job building a trading card business in Europe," Leiner, who was with Topps prior to the Fanatics acquisition, said. "There wasn’t a trading card business in Europe really up until 2014, 2015.
"We’ve seen a good evolution from sticker collectors, to trading card game collectors, to trading card collectors. …We’re still in the infancy of where trading cards can go in Europe now. We’re in the first couple minutes of the match of where we can take this category."
What is brilliant about the EPL is the fact that it has global reach, like the NFL, NBA and WWE – all of which have agreements with Fanatics Collectibles in place as well. Additionally, it has superstars like Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Liverpool's Mo Salah among many others who fans cannot get enough of.
So, while Europe is the main market, its reach is in the U.S., Latin America and Asia as well, making for a product that has various demographics on multiple continents.
"What I find unique in Europe is the club fandom is absolute insanity. It’s the craziest thing," Leiner said.
Fanatics Collectibles announced a multi-year partnership with the English Premier League on Wednesday. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Fanatics Collectibles continues to lead the charge in the trading card space, and the EPL is just the latest world-class organization they have partnered with to tell their unique story and grow their game.
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