No Topps Football products in 2025?

[Row]

Haven't seen any threads on this yet, but has been mentioned as a rumour a few times on the Sports Card Nonsense podcast that Topps won't be releasing any 2025 football product as they pissed off the NFLPA with their 2024-25 releases and the amount of rookies they had in the product.

This actually would make sense if you remember back to 2023-24 they were only allowed I think about 4 rookies in the product, and the rest were retired players. 2024 product had almost all rookies.

If all this is true, not a bad gamble for Topps as the 2024 class looks a lot stronger than 2025, at least on paper.

Also means Panini get one final year all on their own.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Do you have a source?

[rmw10]

I believe they said at Fanatics Fest that they won't have any further products until their contract starts. They take over April 1st, 2026 and will have a slate of licensed products ready to go at that point.

[Fenway55]

Originally Posted by Row

Haven't seen any threads on this yet, but has been mentioned as a rumour a few times on the Sports Card Nonsense podcast that Topps won't be releasing any 2025 football product as they pissed off the NFLPA with their 2024-25 releases and the amount of rookies they had in the product.

I find this very hard to believe since the NFLPA owns a percentage of Fanatics/Topps and has done everything they can to help Fanatics/Topps steal the license back from Panini before Panini's contract expired.

Now, as mentioned above, the 2025 product might be waiting until the old license expires so they are able to create a fully licensed product... but I don't believe they would print so much in 2024 only to completely skip 2025.

[hairysasquatch]

The long, slow death of Poopnini cannot come soon enough...

[CapMarvelous]

Last I read (on this forum) is that between 4/1/26 and probably July/August, Topps is releasing product for the 2025 season before shifting towards its regular release calendar for the 2026 season.

I believe regular 2025 Topps Chrome (fully licensed) among other popular sets will cover the 2025 season and its rookie class. I know 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball releases this Fall (also fully licensed) and uses the 2025 Chrome baseball design. Don't want to assume the same for football, but I am a big fan of that design.

I don't believe there will be a 2025 Topps Flagship though, which is a bummer. That will have to wait until 2026.

[Siberian13]

Originally Posted by CapMarvelous

Last I read (on this forum) is that between 4/1/26 and probably July/August, Topps is releasing product for the 2025 season before shifting towards its regular release calendar for the 2026 season.

I believe regular 2025 Topps Chrome (fully licensed) among other popular sets will cover the 2025 season and its rookie class. I know 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball releases this Fall (also fully licensed) and uses the 2025 Chrome baseball design. Don't want to assume the same for football, but I am a big fan of that design.

I don't believe there will be a 2025 Topps Flagship though, which is a bummer. That will have to wait until 2026.

Wish they started 2024. Penix Topps chrome would be sweet

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by Fenway55

I find this very hard to believe since the NFLPA owns a percentage of Fanatics/Topps and has done everything they can to help Fanatics/Topps steal the license back from Panini before Panini's contract expired.

Now, as mentioned above, the 2025 product might be waiting until the old license expires so they are able to create a fully licensed product... but I don't believe they would print so much in 2024 only to completely skip 2025.

I bet it has more to do with walking the legal tightrope as opposed to them just opting out of making it. Panini has multiple lawsuits pending against them if I'm not mistaken and I would think it was more of an attorney suggestion than anything else.

[Ninotores]

Originally Posted by Row

Haven't seen any threads on this yet, but has been mentioned as a rumour a few times on the Sports Card Nonsense podcast that Topps won't be releasing any 2025 football product as they pissed off the NFLPA with their 2024-25 releases and the amount of rookies they had in the product.

This actually would make sense if you remember back to 2023-24 they were only allowed I think about 4 rookies in the product, and the rest were retired players. 2024 product had almost all rookies.

If all this is true, not a bad gamble for Topps as the 2024 class looks a lot stronger than 2025, at least on paper.

Also means Panini get one final year all on their own.

Internet lies at their finest. Topps gets the license in April of 26. That will be when 25 product is released. The contract is signed. NFLPA cannot do anything about it. And even if they were upset, Panini doesn't magically get an extended year when their contract is over this year. Topps would not release anything without the support or acknowledgement of NFLPA. Most of the rookies they released had exclusive deals with Fanatics since their draft. This wasn't some new information that just began when they released cards. The NFL owns a percentage of Fanatics. This claim would mean the NFL is mad at themselves for making more money and releasing players that work for them.

What a completely empty rumor.

[rmw10]

Expect a really weird year either way. Panini still can't hit an original release date to save their lives. Will be curious to see how much product we actually get from them. They're at least moving a little quicker than last year, but still not great.

[Grid]

Originally Posted by Ninotores

Internet lies at their finest. Topps gets the license in April of 26. That will be when 25 product is released. The contract is signed. NFLPA cannot do anything about it. And even if they were upset, Panini doesn't magically get an extended year when their contract is over this year. Topps would not release anything without the support or acknowledgement of NFLPA. Most of the rookies they released had exclusive deals with Fanatics since their draft. This wasn't some new information that just began when they released cards. The NFL owns a percentage of Fanatics. This claim would mean the NFL is mad at themselves for making more money and releasing players that work for them.

What a completely empty rumor.

Exactly. There was never anything stopping them from making cards of players they were exclusive with. Rookie or not.

From what I am hearing, is we will see a 2025 Topps drop of sets for NFL around the draft. And then another drop of sets for 2026 into the season. Allowing them to create licensed RC of 2 draft classes once their exclusive kicks in.

I am sure there will be a small push back into 2026 for actual 2026 cards. Like Octoberish to allow time for 2025 sales to sink in some.

2027 it will be back to normal. But they will double dip in 25/26, cause why wouldnt they?

[EBCollectibles]

As bad as finest basketball looks they don't need to make football ever.

[CapMarvelous]

Originally Posted by EBCollectibles

As bad as finest basketball looks they don't need to make football ever.

Finest is a far cry from what it was when Topps lost the NFL license in 2015. And now they have taken a Select-style approach to the base set? Common, Uncommon, Rare just like Concourse, Premier, Field.

Modern Topps Finest almost feels like its the designs are AI-created.

[csmtampa]

Originally Posted by CapMarvelous

Finest is a far cry from what it was when Topps lost the NFL license in 2015. And now they have taken a Select-style approach to the base set? Common, Uncommon, Rare just like Concourse, Premier, Field.

Modern Topps Finest almost feels like its the designs are AI-created.

This is how Finest was in the 90's

[mikejones]

Originally Posted by csmtampa

This is how Finest was in the 90's

Shots fired?

[CapMarvelous]

Originally Posted by csmtampa

This is how Finest was in the 90's

Ah, sorry did not know this. I am just familiar with 2009-2015.

[Row]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

Do you have a source?

Sports Card Nonsense Podcast

Episode from Aug 12th.

The question was also asked directly to Michel Rubin and Mike Mahan from Fantatics on the July 31st podcast live from the National.

Question
"But now we've kind of heard through some back channels there won't be any 2025 tops product professional license.
I just thought it was coming out late.

Are you guys going to be printing stuff with Cam Ward in a pro uniform?"

Answer
"Stay tuned"

[padremurph]

Does Panini’s license expire in Oct? Or do they get a grace period after to sell through product?

[rmw10]

Originally Posted by padremurph

Does Panini’s license expire in Oct? Or do they get a grace period after to sell through product?

Expires at the end of March for football. Think basketball is October so will be a good test for what we’re probably going to see in the football market.

[longhornjunkie]

They skipped Topps Chrome Platinum baseball this year... was hoping it was because they'd do a football one.

[BoSoxFan1999]

So as far as rookies from the 2024 class (Daniels, Williams, etc) there will be no licensed rookie cards from Topps for them? Only the unlicensed pajama cards?

[Grid]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

So as far as rookies from the 2024 class (Daniels, Williams, etc) there will be no licensed rookie cards from Topps for them? Only the unlicensed pajama cards?

Correct, the ship on 2024 rookies has sailed. From my post above, which is just hearsay but being told in many circles within the hobby.

From what I am hearing, is we will see a 2025 Topps drop of sets for NFL around the draft. And then another drop of sets for 2026 into the season.

Rumor is, Topps/Fanatics plans on producing their own 2025 NFL sets, which will feature RC logos, in 2026 when they get the license back. And then still produce actual 2026 NFL sets later in the year.

Which really is no different that what Panini is doing now, with their delays to get sets to market within the calendar year of those featured draft classes.

[LondonGames]

Originally Posted by Row

Sports Card Nonsense Podcast

Episode from Aug 12th.

The question was also asked directly to Michel Rubin and Mike Mahan from Fantatics on the July 31st podcast live from the National.

Question
"But now we've kind of heard through some back channels there won't be any 2025 tops product professional license.
I just thought it was coming out late.

Are you guys going to be printing stuff with Cam Ward in a pro uniform?"

Answer
"Stay tuned"

This relates to your OP how???

[Row]

Originally Posted by LondonGames

This relates to your OP how???

You ok there tiger?

I was asked for a source. I posted the source.

Your reading comprehension issues are yours alone to work on.

[boxbuster7]

man every thread in this forum is just a bickering fest