Ohtani inks global trading card deal with Topps
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Dan Hajducky, ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers star and two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani has signed an exclusive long-term global trading card deal with Topps, a division of Fanatics Collectibles, it was announced Thursday.
Ohtani has signed other deals with Fanatics — including an exclusive autograph, collectibles and memorabilia deal in 2021, but it didn’t include sports cards.
“Ohtani’s been a part of the Topps family since he signed with the Angels in late 2017, early 2018, so this deal is super important to us,” said David Leiner, president of trading cards at Fanatics Collectibles. “Best player in the game, unique, global player, who pitches and hits. You’ve got to have this guy in product, you’ve got to have his autographs and memorabilia for fans to chase.”
The agreement includes autographs and game-used memorabilia cards and will feature cards centered around moments and achievements, involving U.S.- and Japan-based products, a bourgeoning region for Topps and collecting.
“I’m happy to be exclusively partnering with Topps to give fans unique cards and collectibles for seasons to come,” Ohtani said in a statement.
Ohtani joins fellow Japanese players Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui with Topps deals.
“Japanese allocation is a big piece and you better believe, for the accounts in Japan, there’s never enough [product],” Leiner says. “They’re always asking for more. Our largest Japanese partner, Mint Collectibles, they own and operate a chain of 28 stores across Japan and the hobby is vibrant over there.”
In early January 2018, Fanatics opened an office in Tokyo and launched Fanatics Japan, nearly four years to the day before acquiring Topps. Topps followed suit, opening an office in Tokyo in 2021.
“We’re pushing, we’re well-distributed,” Leiner says. “7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson’s, the hobby is in its early stages there, but we’re going to continue to push and grow there. Japan is a great baseball country, a passionate group of folks over there, and [Shohei] is so important back home.”
Leiner notes that 2025 Opening Day is the Dodgers vs. the Chicago Cubs in mid-March at the Tokyo Dome: “Look for some fun stuff there featuring our newly exclusive man.”
While financial details weren’t disclosed, Leiner said the deal is similar to the one Fanatics inked with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in January and “longer than many of the other deals you see us doing.”
“We want to change the way our athlete partnership group works,” Leiner says. “Historically, trading card companies would stick a thousand cards in front of an athlete in a hotel room on the road or something, scribbling away. It’s no secret, these guys make a lot of money, [but] we want true partnerships, 360 deals; they’re gonna sign their cards, that’s part of the gig, but there’s bells and whistles — marketing and partnering on the category, social media — and we’re trying to, like with LeBron, bring Shohei into the family and have a true partnership.”
While the deal doesn’t include contractual appearances, given the level and stature of the deal Leiner says, Topps and Fanatics expect Ohtani to participate in programs and elevate the collectible category on social media authentically.
Leiner also notes that Ohtani is a collector himself.
“When he signs cards” — which Leiner notes Topps continues to have flexibility on, Ohtani signing inscriptions in English or Kanji — “he asks a lot of questions, looks at them, understands them and likes them. He has some of his own cards as well, we’ve made cards for him, too; last year, we called it A Transcendent Season, put it in a really nice box, he [put] it on social media.
“He enjoys seeing kids at stadiums, fans with his cards, attempting to get them signed at the stadium. He has a lot of respect for the category, going back to when he was a growing superstar in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.”
Ohtani currently leads the NL in home runs, slugging, OPS and he’s second in RBIs and stolen bases. According to ESPN BET, he’s a -1600 favorite to win NL MVP, which would be his third MVP award in seven MLB seasons. Only 11 players in MLB history have won three.
“[Shohei] is a guy that has a chance to expand the sport of baseball on a global basis and something I’ve been passionate about — and we’re passionate about at Fanatics — is global expansion,” Leiner says. “This guy’s doing things we haven’t seen since Babe Ruth and hopefully [Shohei continues to convert] more fans into collectors.”
The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set to deliver yet another exhilarating race to the finish. From the field to the favorite, here is everything to know about the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
What time does the 2025 Kentucky Derby begin?
The post time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.
How can fans watch?
Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will stream early coverage beginning at noon ET.
How many horses run in the Kentucky Derby?
Twenty horses have the chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?
To earn a spot in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, a horse must compete in a series of designated races from September through mid-April. Points are awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses with the most points, or the horses who win their international series, earn a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.
Who is the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, opened as the 3-1 favorite.
What are the post positions for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Post 1: Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds)
Post 2: Neoequos (30-1)
Post 3: Final Gambit (30-1)
Post 4: Rodriguez (12-1)
Post 5: American Promise (30-1)
Post 6: Admire Daytona (30-1)
Post 7: Luxor Cafe (15-1)
Post 8: Journalism (3-1)
Post 9: Burnham Square (12-1)
Post 10: Grande (20-1)
Post 11: Flying Mohawk (30-1)
Post 12: East Avenue (20-1)
Post 13: Publisher (20-1)
Post 14: Tiztastic (20-1)
Post 15: Render Judgment (30-1)
Post 16: Coal Battle (30-1)
Post 17: Sandman (6-1)
Post 18: Sovereignty (5-1)
Post 19: Chunk of Gold (30-1)
Post 20: Owen Almighty (30-1)
Alternate: Baeza
Which post has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners?
Post 5 has produced the most winners, with 10.
What three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown?
The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are the three races needed to accomplish the Triple Crown.
Who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, won last year’s Kentucky Derby at 18-1 odds.
What is the purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Since 2024, $5 million in prize money has been guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby.
Check out the ESPN horse racing hub page for the latest news and notes ahead of the big race.
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Ryan S. Clark
Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.
There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.
But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.
“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”
In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.
Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.
Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.
Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.
Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.
As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.
Then there are the teams that need a coach. It’s a list that includes the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, plus the Penguins and now the Canucks.
“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”
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