Trading cards are making a comeback in college athletics and Kansas appears to be joining the resurgence.
Last week, Fanatics and Topps – whom Fanatics acquired earlier this year – announced in a press release that they would be starting a new trading cards program with more than 100 universities across the country.
The program includes both exclusive and non-exclusive agreements with schools to produce physical and digital trading cards featuring current college athletes and former college athletes playing in the MLB, NFL, and NBA.
Kansas is one of the schools listed in the announcement that Topps has secured a multi-year, exclusive rights deal with. But according to ESPN, KU’s agreement doesn’t start until 2025.
However, beginning this fall, Topps plans to release non-exclusive trading cards as part of separate name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements with current student-athletes. That non-exclusive trading cards program appears to include Kansas players.
According to the press release, this is the first offering of officially licensed collegiate trading cards since NIL rights were awarded to college athletes.
This is definitely a win for Kansas as it provides another selling point for the school when recruiting and discussing NIL opportunities to prospects.
It’s also another money-making opportunity for current players that may help entice them to stay when deciding whether to turn pro early or transfer to another school.
And it’s a great chance for Kansas fans to add more Jayhawk memorabilia to their collections.
More details about the program will be released this fall.
Jayhawk trading cards...coming soon 👀
— Kansas Jayhawks (@KUAthletics) June 10, 2022
We are proud to partner with @Topps and @Fanatics for its first-ever NIL trading card program, featuring officially licensed cards of top current and former Jayhawks.
Stay tuned for more details this fall. pic.twitter.com/7JHSIbZW30