Professional wrestling organization WWE has teamed up with online sports destination Fanatics in a comprehensive new deal that covers ecommerce and licensed merchandise, as well as physical, digital and non-fungible token (NFT) trading cards.
This summer, Fanatics will exclusively launch a new ecommerce destination for the brand — WWE Shop — featuring a leading assortment of WWE merchandise across all categories, including apparel and hard goods, such as title belts, headwear, accessories and more. WWE’s ecommerce operations had been managed internally for several decades and Fanatics said it will work closely with WWE to manage the transition. Also included in the deal are the rights for Fanatics to design, manufacture and distribute new on-demand merchandise collections to celebrate unpredictable WWE moments and new and emerging Superstars.
Fanatics Collectibles, the company’s trading cards and collectibles division, will also become the exclusive provider of licensed WWE physical and digital trading cards, which will once again bear the nostalgic Topps logo. Fanatics acquired the 70-year-old Topps brand earlier this year, which previously held a long-term relationship with WWE. That deal will commence when WWE’s existing trading cards rights expire over the next few years.
Also under the pact, later this year Fanatics’ digital collectibles company, Candy Digital, will become one of WWE’s primary NFT partners. Candy will curate and build a full range of high-quality trading card NFTs featuring WWE’s biggest moments and stars.
Advertisement
“Fanatics is the industry leader and Michael Rubin is a visionary,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman and CEO in a statement. “We believe this multi-platform partnership will set a new standard for WWE ecommerce, apparel and merchandise, while providing our fans globally with more ways than ever to engage with WWE and our Superstars.”
