Off-Topic Forum

To be pedantic. by definition they have a monopoly when they are the only company able to produce licensed cards for the various sports. So they have already succeeded in getting a monopoly for cards licensed by the MLB, NBA and their respective players' associations (as well as those licensed by the NFL players' association but not the NFL?).

The other services they propose are examples of either horizontal or vertical integration.

Selling direct to the public = vertical intergration

Providing additional industry services eg grading, insurance, marketplace platform = horizontal integration.  

Saw an interesting article on a business website (not a hobby related site) that was speculating how they can do it legally since Fanatics isn't the parent company (Kynetic is) It was also speculating that Kynetic could buy Topps and dissect it into the name brands or that Kynetic could buy Topps but keep it as a separate company avoiding monopoly/corporate laws.It made a sound argument that Topps being "merged" (sounds much better than a takeover) is inevitable since the infrastructure/personnel is there and how they would be able to get it on the cheap since the primary shareholder failed to take Topps public. Albeit it included a bunch of stuff I didn't understand but that was the general idea

Love that idea...maybe? 

The owner of a copyright or trademark or Name/Image/Likeness is legally allowed to monopolize its intellectual property for a very long time.  It's not a violation of monopoly laws for entities such as MLB and the MLBPA to license a single business entity (Topps or Fanatics) to produce and market items that bear the likeness of players and the logos of teams.  It's perfectly legal if that's how those entities want to do business.  It's also legal for them to license multiple entities (think back to Topps, Fleer, Donruss, etc.)

On the other hand, it is not legal for Topps or another card producer to attempt to control or monopolize the market of a certain type of sports cards if another card producer also holds a license from the sports teams and players' association to produce cards.

Subtle, but important differences.

Personally, I'm not at all happy with this news and to be frank, I think my days of collecting are over... well current cards at the very least. I have no intention of supporting them in any way, shape, or form. I've read several stories about people being excited about new innovations they could bring to the hobby. I can't help to think we've really seen all that there is to see regarding trading cards and my guess is they're going to somehow make it a digital thing. If that is appealing to you, good stuff, but me? No thanks, there is a nostalgia to collecting cards for me. Waling to the local New Agency and picking up a couple packs of Topps and that rush of excitment when holding a card you've been pining for in your hand. The digital world cannot replicate that, not for me. The good news is that there are plenty of cards to snag up going back 70+ years.. but after 2025, it's going to be a bummer. Especially since all I collect are Topps.

I'd like to add that there shouldn't just be one company making these things.