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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has expanded his partnership with Fanatics to include trading cards.
According to ESPN’s Dan Hajducky, Ohtani has signed a long-term deal with Topps for worldwide exclusive trading cards.
“Ohtani has been part of the Topps family since he signed with the Angels in late 2017, early 2018, so this deal is super important to us,” David Leiner, president of trading cards at Fanatics Collectibles, said of the agreement. “Best player in the game, unique, global player who pitches and hits. You have to have that guy in the product, you have to have his autographs and memorabilia for fans to chase.”
Leiner added that the company is already planning “some fun stuff” with Ohtani when the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs start the 2025 MLB season at the Tokyo Dome.
Fanatics purchased Topps in 2022 to add trading cards and memorabilia to its roster of ventures that already included merchandise and apparel.
Ohtani originally signed an exclusive memorabilia deal with Fanatics in 2021. Signed jerseys, helmets, coins, photos and balls were among the items included in that agreement, but there was no deal for sports cards.
Topps has been releasing licensed Ohtani cards since 2017, prior to his rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels.
Hajducky noted that this new agreement will include exclusive autographs, game memorabilia, memorable moment and achievement cards, and products from the United States and Japan.
Ohtani joins a group of athletes, including his former Angels teammate Mike Trout and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, in signing exclusive trading card deals with Topps.
