Hasbro relaunches sports collectibles brand Starting Lineup

Hasbro has announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) for the highly anticipated re-launch of Starting Lineup, an iconic sports collectibles brand.

Launching this autumn in partnership with Fanatics, the global digital sports platform, the Starting Lineup brand will feature legendary NBA superstars as part of its first wave of figures and will be available for pre-order starting September 22 exclusively on Hasbro Pulse and across the Fanatics network of online sites, including Fanatics.com, and official league stores. The Starting Lineup collectible will also include an exclusive, officially licensed Panini NBA trading card.

“The NBA and NBPA are tremendous partners for the return of the Starting Lineup brand, and we cannot wait for fans to experience some of the biggest names in the league as action figures,” says Eric Nyman, President and COO of Hasbro. “The return of one of the most beloved sports collectibles brands of all time would not be complete without the inclusion of fan-favourite NBA superstars.”

The revamped Starting Lineup brand will continue its legacy of bringing fans and collectors their favourite athletes in action figure form but with design like never before in a highly articulated 6” scale.

“We look forward to the relaunch of Starting Lineup in the coming months as we meet the excitement of our fans and additionally introduce a new generation to these collectibles,” says Brian Keegan, Head of Trading Cards, Memorabilia and Hardgoods at the NBA. “Through our partnership with Hasbro, these figures provide our fans a unique opportunity to build upon their connection to our game and their favourite players.”

“We are thrilled to be partners with Hasbro and Panini in relaunching this iconic brand,” adds Inky Son, VP of Licensing for THINK450, the innovation engine of the NBPA. “Working together, we hope to continue to reimagine the possibilities for sports collectibles and action figures while also amplifying our collective players’ profiles on these platforms.”

The original Starting Lineup brand developed a massive following for more than a decade by bringing sports enthusiasts figures of their favourite superstar players accompanied by a trading card, and the introduction of notable NBA players will be the first of an all-new era of major athletes joining its classic heritage. Hasbro is also working with OneTeam Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, on the athlete and creative marketing campaign.

For more information on the upcoming launch of the Starting Lineup brand, visit Hasbro Pulse | Where Fans Come First.

Funko teams with Hasbro for My Little Pony NFTs

Funko has announced the upcoming release of a new collection of NFTs based on Hasbro’s iconic My Little Pony characters, including Pinkie Pie, Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash, and more.

The My Little Pony x Funko Digital Pop! NFTs will be released on 28 June on NFT platform Droppp.io

Funko Digital Pop! are non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, in the form of digital collectibles featuring Funko’s unique stylised figures. My Little Pony Funko Digital Pop! will be available for $9.99 USD for the Standard Packs and $29.99 USD for the Premium Packs, with both limited to 18,000 copies available each for a total of 360,000 NFTs.

Each pack of Digital Pop! gives buyers a chance to reveal one of the rare Funko Digital Pop! when opened, which can then be redeemed for a free, limited edition, physical vinyl collectible.

Funko Digital Pop! will be available to purchase through the Droppp.io platform using a Droppp account and a credit card.

Mike Mahan appointed CEO of Fanatics Collectibles

Digital sports platform Fanatics has announced the appointment of Mike Mahan as CEO of Fanatics Collectibles, the company’s trading cards and collectibles business.

In this newly created role, Mahan will develop the overall vision and corporate strategy for Fanatics Collectibles and oversee its full portfolio of physical and digital collectibles brands, which includes Topps, the trading cards brand; Candy Digital, a next-gen digital collectibles company, and zerocool, a trading cards brand solely focused on pop culture, art and entertainment. Mahan, a long-time collector himself, will report directly to Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin.

Mahan joins Fanatics after running Dick Clark Productions, the world’s largest producer of television events including the Golden Globe Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards, where he served as CEO. While there, he guided the company to seven consecutive years of record growth and profits and successfully drove large viewership across entertainment products, responsibilities that align with the broader collectibles market becoming a content engine driven by exceptional products. Overall, Mike has more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of digital media, content creation, influencer marketing, entertainment, and finance.

“Our collectibles business has seen tremendous growth since launching last year, and we couldn’t be more confident in bringing Mike on board to shape the bright future of this division and its alignment within our larger Fanatics digital sports platform,” says Rubin. “As a collector and passionate sports fan, Mike’s vision for both the trading cards hobby and emerging digital collectibles properties, driven by exceptional products, will further position Fanatics as a leader in these categories, creating incredible opportunities for fans, collectors, hobby shops, retailers and our partners.”

As the opportunities for collectors and fans to purchase and engage with physical and digital collectibles grows – fuelled by innovative content, social marketing, and influencer involvement – Mike’s experience and personal passion provides a strong background to lead the business, grow the overall industry and create new levels of participation for both existing and new collectors. His number one focus will be growing the total number of collectors globally across the category.

“I could not think of a more perfect next step in my career than to lead the incredibly talented teams within Fanatics Collectibles, where I’ll have the opportunity to combine my entrepreneurial passions that lie within sports, marketing, and content creation, with my love for trading cards and collectibles at large,” says Mahan. “The worlds of trading cards and digital collectibles have been forever reshaped over the past several years, and these new assets and the connections they create have the ability to bring fans and collectors closer than ever before to the players, teams and entertainers they love.”

In addition, Mike will be tasked with executing the global, exclusive rights and future rights that live within the Fanatics Collectibles portfolio, including preeminent players associations, sports leagues, professional and college teams, top student-athletes, brands and entertainment properties. The business will continue to serve fans, collectors and partners across all channels – direct-to-consumer, hobby shops, and retailers – while opening doors to new businesses for Fanatics Collectibles, such as breaking, secondary marketplaces, and more. He will leverage incredible relationships with top talent to align with one of Fanatics’ future collectibles strategies; working with the biggest names in sports and entertainment to promote the company’s physical and digital collectibles products.

Mike began his career as an investment banker for Bear Stearns and worked in private equity at CDP Capital Entertainment, a division of Caisse de Dépôt. A graduate of UCLA, where he studied business and economics, Mike is or has been an investor in several media, sports, gaming, and consumer properties, including Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A affiliate of the LA Dodgers), Axiomatic’s Team Liquid, Next VR and Aviation Gin.

 

Fanattik celebrates its 15th anniversary in blockbuster style

Fanattik, the award-winning gift and collectibles licensee, celebrated its 15th anniversary in style this week with a special screening of Jurassic World Dominion, a film for which the company is also a licensee.

Fanattik took over Art Deco cinema The Rex for the private screening. Attendees included fellow licensees, brands, retail buyers and influencers, who also enjoyed viewing various props from the franchise during the event. 

Explaining why the Jurassic World film was chosen for the event, Fanattik’s MD Anthony Marks says: “It was signing our licensing agreement with Universal Studios all those years ago for the Jurassic Park franchise that set Fanattik on the road to success, and I wanted to pay homage to the franchise at this, the first of our 15th anniversary events.”  

Fanattik supplies pop culture retailers throughout Europe, North America, Australasia and MENA territories via its own offices and network of distributors.

Not wanting to leave non-UK retailers out of the celebrations, the company sent Fanattik cakes to buying teams all over the world, including one of their furthest afield retailer partners, based almost 12,000 miles away from their UK head office in New Zealand.

The company is a licensee for some of the biggest film and video game studios in the entertainment world, including Konami, Hasbro, Universal Studios, Bethesda, Capcom, Paramount Studios, Microsoft, and many others. The company also creates exclusive product for retailers with DTR licenses as well as being a distributor for gift ranges featuring Star Wars and Marvel.

Before the film started, Anthony took to the stage to thank the entire Fanattik team, the colleagues who have helped the company grow from “a one-man enterprise working out of a spare bedroom to what is now a global player in the pop culture field”.

“We genuinely love what we do. The fans can see the effort we pour into each and every product we create and that is reflected in the sales we help generate for retailers,” says Melissa Tudor, Creative Director, Fanattik. “It also explains why so many of those retail buyers have turned up to help us celebrate our anniversary.”

Universal Brand Development taps Moose Toys for Trolls collectibles

Moose Toys has entered a multi-year global partnership with Universal Brand Development for DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster Trolls franchise. Under the agreement, the toymaker will develop a range of collectible figures to arrive at retail in autumn 2023, to support the highly anticipated release of the newest Trolls movie in cinemas on 17 November 2023.

In addition to creating the official Trolls collectibles for the movie, the agreement allows for cross-collaboration with original brands from Moose.

“Universal Brand Development tapping us to create collectibles for the Trolls franchise is an extraordinary opportunity,” says Menal McGrath, vice president global licensing, Moose Toys. “We cannot wait to infuse our Moose magic into movie collectibles and to bring the vibrant, colourful, diverse and inclusive Trolls into several of our key original brands.”

Moose has built a reputation for its hyper-creative collectibles and for delivering a depth within each of its brands that keeps the narrative fresh and ever-expanding. As the popularity grew for its original brands, licensing became the next logical step for the toymaker. The licensing agreement with Universal Brand Development will include an expansive line of Trolls collectible figures highlighting new characters introduced in the new film, plus evergreen movie favorites like Poppy and Branch. The line will feature a deep variety of colours, finishes and hair and range of products that will be supported by a robust marketing campaign.

“Moose is an incredible partner with a keen understanding of what makes the Trolls franchise so beloved by fans,” says Joe Lawandus, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Toys, Hardlines and Publishing, Universal Brand Development. “Throughout the process, they demonstrated a clear and creative vision for not only our movie-inspired collectibles, but some truly innovative thinking about how to infuse Trolls into their popular brands. Extending the Trolls narrative beyond the film and collaborating with Moose is a tremendous value-add. We could not be more delighted about this new partnership.”

The addition of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls expands Moose’s licensed portfolio, which already includes Bluey, Octonauts and Strawberry Shortcake.

Starting Lineup is back

Hasbro, Inc., in partnership with global digital sports platform Fanatics, has announced the official re-launch of Starting Lineup, an iconic sports collectibles brand. Set to launch this autumn, the new product line will continue its legacy of bringing fans and collectors their favourite athletes in action figure form.

Starting September 22, products from the Starting Lineup brand will be available exclusively on Hasbro Pulse and across the Fanatics network of online sites, including Fanatics.com and official league stores.  

“We’re thrilled to be bringing back one of the most beloved sports collectibles brands of all time, Starting Lineup, and to be teaming up with Fanatics for its highly anticipated return this fall,” says Eric Nyman, President and COO of Hasbro. “The fast-growing sports collectibles category presents great opportunities to connect with fans of all ages, and we’ve got many exciting announcements to come from the brand in the months ahead.” 

Originally launched in 1988, the Starting Lineup brand developed a massive following by bringing enthusiasts figures of their favourite all-star players from a variety of sports for more than a decade. The return of the brand will introduce an all-new era of notable athletes to its classic heritage with figures featuring design like never before.  

“Hasbro’s Starting Lineup is an iconic collectibles brand, and Fanatics is thrilled to be the exclusive partner to help re-launch this historic product line and introduce a new generation of sports stars to fans and collectors everywhere,” says Jack Boyle, Fanatics Commerce Global Co-President of Direct-to-Consumer. 

For more information on the upcoming launch of the Starting Lineup brand, as well as a teaser trailer, visit Hasbro Pulse | Where Fans Come First.

 

Call of Duty collectibles incoming from Koyo and Activision

Games and pop culture merchandise specialist Koyo and video game publisher Activision have partnered to launch officially licensed Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone collectibles.

The new and upcoming products build on Koyo’s existing games offering, which encompasses a range of collectibles based on popular characters and iconic items from some of the world’s biggest game developers and publishers.

Koyo’s latest range for fans of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone includes logo pin badges, logo keyrings, bar blade bottle openers, patch sets, DIY pin badge sets and Tomogunchi pin badge sets.

More items in Koyo’s Call of Duty collectibles range will be revealed in the coming months.

The Call of Duty: Vanguard collectibles will be available for fans to buy direct from www.thekoyostore.com or through retail stores globally from 22 January 2022, with Call of Duty: Warzone collectibles following in February.

“We’re so excited to be working with Activision to create some truly unique Call of Duty collectibles,” says Koyo COO Helen Garlick. “Our aim is always to deliver what our fan communities want, and Call of Duty has been on many wish lists for a long time, including ours! We’re sure Vanguard and Warzone players everywhere will love these items – and we have more planned for the coming months.”

 

Mighty Jaxx appoints Alex Neal to spearhead European expansion

Mighty Jaxx, the Singapore-based designer and manufacturer of tech-enabled collectibles and lifestyle products, has announced the appointment of Alex Neal as its Managing Director (Europe) to expand its licensing and retail business across the UK and continental Europe.

Based in London, Alex is an industry executive who brings a wealth of operational experience to Mighty Jaxx, of which the last 15 years was spent at licensed collectible company Eaglemoss, where he served as Managing Director and oversaw the company’s global performance of e-commerce and retail business channels — incorporating end-to-end business functions and overseeing a team of 70 across five countries with a £50m turnover.

Alex will be responsible for the strategy and growth of Mighty Jaxx across the UK and continental Europe, together with a team that he will build and lead. As part of his remit, Alex will spearhead Mighty Jaxx’s on/offline retail strategy while also actively overseeing the prospecting and pitching process as he works to secure new licenses and collaboration opportunities and strengthen the Company’s brand development in the region.

This latest geographical expansion is part of a long-term growth strategy that has already seen China, North America and Southeast Asia form the largest contributors to Mighty Jaxx’s yearly revenue.

Jackson Aw, Founder and CEO, Mighty Jaxx, says: “Europe has been a growing priority for us and 2022 will be a great year for us to finally set up shop and tap into the strong, growing demand for our ‘phygital’ collectibles that we have witnessed over the past 18 months.

“Expansion into Europe has been some time in the works but we believe our patience will reap rewards. Alex is a highly experienced veteran of the collectibles and consumer products industry and comes with a proven track record in building and scaling iconic brands. His passion and knowledge of the industry and more importantly, the region, will enable him to positively impact our business from day one.”

“When we first spoke, Jackson and I clicked immediately,” says Alex, “and when I heard about the plans Mighty Jaxx had for the future, I was immediately sold and knew I wanted to be a part of this project and deliver Mighty Jaxx’s new, innovative phygital experiences to collectors across Europe. I truly believe there’s huge untapped potential and I look forward to helping the Company achieve its goals whilst growing the brand in Europe.”

To further contribute to its global licensing portfolio that already includes the likes of Formula 1, Hasbro, Toei Animation, Warner Brothers, among others, Mighty Jaxx is looking to collaborate with brands / properties in technology, entertainment, music, art, fashion, and streetwear, putting the Company in prime position to continue creating innovative and fully immersive products across different subcultures.

 

Fanattik strengthens senior team with new appointment

Pop culture brand Fanattik, a licensing partner for Hasbro, Universal Studios, Capcom, Bethesda, Studio Canal, Konami and many more leading video game and film studios, has appointed Melissa Tudor as Creative Director. She will take control of the company’s creative strategy which is integral to the company’s continuing success.

Anthony Marks, M.D of Fanattik, says: “I am delighted to announce Melissa’s new role. She has been with Fanattik for more than three years, helping to shape our creative team, which in turn has made Fanattik into a fan favourite brand within the world of pop culture.”

The promotion comes at the end of a year that has seen phenomenal growth for the award-winning gift and collectible manufacturer, which supplies gift retailers throughout the UK, Europe and beyond with everything from SpongeBob Squarepants bottle openers to Jurassic Park playing cards, and sees them in good stead for 2022, the company’s self-proclaimed ‘Year Of Export’.

Fanattik strengthens senior team with new appointment

Pop culture brand Fanattik, a licensing partner for Hasbro, Universal Studios, Capcom, Bethesda, Studio Canal, Konami and many more leading video game and film studios, has appointed Melissa Tudor as Creative Director. She will take control of the company’s creative strategy which is integral to the company’s continuing success.

Anthony Marks, M.D of Fanattik, says: “I am delighted to announce Melissa’s new role. She has been with Fanattik for more than three years, helping to shape our creative team, which in turn has made Fanattik into a fan favourite brand within the world of pop culture.”

The promotion comes at the end of a year that has seen phenomenal growth for the award-winning gift and collectible manufacturer, which supplies gift retailers throughout the UK, Europe and beyond with everything from SpongeBob Squarepants bottle openers to Jurassic Park playing cards, and sees them in good stead for 2022, the company’s self-proclaimed ‘Year Of Export’.