Topps to be official publisher for EURO 2024 Germany

[dantzig]

No, it's not a late April Fools Day. I was skeptical when @Canal Cromo told me about this, so I investigated and found a slideshow in this Topps website.





I'm so upset with Panini that I more than welcome Topps to do a better job in Euro 2024... Panini has definitely much more potential and we can see it in Adrenalyn collections, but even the lousiest Topps collections are better than this new Euro 2020 sticker set (and much cheaper)... I find this "satisfying", because competition are needed to open the eyes of BOTH companies.

Well, fire away what you think!

 

[Ceesmk]

The Topps album for the NHL is fantastic. But it's an absolute shit for Formula 1 or the Bundesliga. Wait and see! I don't know how I feel.
But we have to pay attention to Emiliano...!

 

[levivo]

Honestly, I am bit sad about this. My view is the romantic view, because these albums are panini albums. They were even called panini album, independent from the specific name each year.

But If I take a more objective look, it may be the best way for everyone. Panini has made sooo many mistakes. I think they have now time to think to strike back.

Questions which I have:

Are the rights for euro and world cup together? Or has panini still the rights for the world cup?

How long does topps have the euro rights, now? 2 albums?

 

[Only Good Stickers]

That's shocking!

I have a mixed feeling. It's upsetting because Panini Euro albums are a tradition since 1980 and after all they released some very good product (EURO 2016 Star Edition is the best ever sticker collection in my opinion). But at the same time in the last year they screwed up increasing recklessly all the prices, mocking the collectors with the rookie situation, and making the new Euro unaffordable to many people and kids. So they deserved it.

What worries me about Topps is that they don't give a shit about stickers, they focus more on cards. So we will have a bad sticker album (like the recent Champions League albums). The only advantage would be a cheaper and more affordable collection.

 

[Val]

That's sad news, I have always been a Panini fanboy despite their recent flaws. Match Attax Euro Cup 2024? + Extra, + 101, + Best of the Best, + ... ? I fear an endless card collection for the tournament in Germany.

Anyhow, that's a huge blow for Panini's image, I wonder what is the reason behind this capitulation. There is a money problem? The recent increase of prices, some products distributed only online, these could be some signs of that. I am not aware of the bidding results for the new CL licensing cycle starting with the 21/22 season but I guess it will stay with Topps.

I am curious to see how Panini will treat the next year World Cup. Going out with a bang or cashing whatever they can and ridding off quietly into the sunset?

 

[Only Good Stickers]

The UEFA Champions League is not mentioned in the "New Licences and Extensions", so I guess they don't have the rights anymore?

They mention only Euro 2024, Formula 1 and...Borussia Dormund?? or do they mean Bundesliga?

 

[Iulian]

This is sad news. It was one thing for these two companies to swap the UCL series once a decade, but the Euro's?

I agree that Panini needed some stiff competition in Europe, but I don't trust Topps. Their football sticker colections show that they don't give a rat what the buyers think or expect from them.

 

[Ceesmk]

Topps can produce top quality albums...if they want!

https://www.facebook.com/PaniniFootballClub/posts/3627873883991905

 

[Ole]

So this is the revenge for taking away the Premier League license

Even if I see it like many here and the Panini tournament collections have a certain tradition, the current collection shows that it is time for some innovation. To be honest, the only innovation on Panini tournament albums in recent years has been the rising price of the stickers.

Are the rights for euro and world cup together? Or has panini still the rights for the world cup?
How long does topps have the euro rights, now? 2 albums?

These are different licenses. One allocated by UEFA, the other by FIFA. As things currently stand, the World Cup albums will continue to come from Panini for the time being.

The presentation mentioned above speaks of 2024 and 2028. So first of all two European championships, for 2032 a new decision will be made.

The UEFA Champions League is not mentioned in the "New Licences and Extensions", so I guess they don't have the rights anymore?
They mention only Euro 2024, Formula 1 and...Borussia Dormund?? or do they mean Bundesliga?

That is the exciting question of who will have the Champions League in the future. This is not clear from the presentation. I wonder, however, whether they would have added the logo to the timeline if they no longer had the license for the next season.

Borussia Dortmund is a separate license, independent of the Bundesliga. The Bundesliga rights remain with Topps until the end of the 2022/23 season.

 

[Ceesmk]

 

[Vortep]

I kind off feel this is a good thing. Paninis last few albums about WC and Euro are just terrible, so this might be refreshing.

 

[dantzig]

The UEFA Champions League is not mentioned in the "New Licences and Extensions", so I guess they don't have the rights anymore?

They mention only Euro 2024, Formula 1 and...Borussia Dormund?? or do they mean Bundesliga?

They still have it there and I'm sure they renewed the licensing... for example, you don't see there Premier League and they had the rights till 2019.

I am curious to see how Panini will treat the next year World Cup. Going out with a bang or cashing whatever they can and ridding off quietly into the sunset?

FIFA licensing is still one notch up, World Cup sells like hot buns out of the oven, so Panini have to grab it like there's no tomorrow... unless Panini starts to lose everything and it has to be some bad economic situation... wasn't the company looking for a buyer?

This is sad news. It was one thing for these two companies to swap the UCL series once a decade, but the Euro's?

I agree that Panini needed some stiff competition in Europe, but I don't trust Topps. Their football sticker colections show that they don't give a rat what the buyers think or expect from them.

We still have three years. Seeing that investor pdf from Topps, they have clear views for what they want and hopefully, they present us with more valuable sticker collections... Better material, better production machines, professionals with innovative ideas... With the profits Topps had last year, they have everything to finally catch up with Panini potential.


So 2028 is also included... this is some serious business going on here, Topps has grabbed UEFA licensing in one swoop... I think they may have bargained with UEFA for a cheaper deal if they bought everything together... Let's not forget that UEFA looked kinda desperate for any publisher to buy UCL right for the next three seasons and Topps took great advantage of pandemic situation (with the market shifting to rookie and top player stuff, where the big bucks are).

My idea is that pandemic made Topps turn around the odds, while Panini (and UEFA itself) had to settle for less.

 

[Only Good Stickers]

For the quality of the products, I think we will regret not having Panini anymore, like we did for the Champions League albums.
The problem is that they became too exclusive, with the basic products too expensive and not worth it to collect for regular persons.

 

[Kruszyn2]

I wonder if Topps will keep the dimensions of the albums 230x270 mm unchanged by Panini?
I like it very much that this standard size of albums is maintained - even for women's tournaments. It facilitates collecting and storage and gives such an interesting repeatability for so many years. What do you think?
What about the Hardcover releases will be?

 

[dantzig]

For the quality of the products, I think we will regret not having Panini anymore, like we did for the Champions League albums.
The problem is that they became too exclusive, with the basic products too expensive and not worth it to collect for regular persons.

It's not like Panini had amazing Champions League albums in last years (though slightly better than Topps)... I did like though the teams sorted by group and not how Topps does (and it's time to end that playoff empty pages!)... And again, Topps has three years to improve massively their quality and seeing the NHL album that @Ceesmk shared above, Topps will only fail if they go with the same posture as Panini for the Euros and World Cups... album will sell well? No need to try hard.

I wonder if Topps will keep the dimensions of the albums 230x270 mm unchanged by Panini?
I like it very much that this standard size of albums is maintained - even for women's tournaments. It facilitates collecting and storage and gives such an interesting repeatability for so many years. What do you think?
What about the Hardcover releases will be?

Don't think Topps will bother with that, but who knows, they may think like you and decide to keep the same size.

 

[Kruszyn2]

I hope they will keep these sizes the mentioned Nhl album probably has these sizes.

 

[LFC1892]

Competition is always good IF the new player is going to offer a better quality product. I have my doubts.

Let's be honest here Topps CL products have been abysmal from stickers to cards, since they took over in 15/16.

Progressively they improved but the designs remain way behind Panini in terms of innovation and variation.

The Topps CL & Bundesliga sticker collection is the worst in the market compared to Calciatori, Este Spain & the Prem League.
Year after year they did the same format. Playoff teams relegated to the last few pages with a measly 1 page per team.
The quality of the paper and stickers is nothing short of cheap and amateurish. Albums start bending after they are filled.
Their card collection especially the last one is boring as fuck. MOM sub set looks like HH while Rising Star looks like Star player. They sell by the bucketful in the UK because they have people brainwashed with their cheaper prices per packet and other products.

I pray that it's only the Euros they won the rights to and not the World Cup as well. FIFA been partners with Panini since WC 1970. Long it may continue.

I have not started the EURO sticker collection yet so I can't judge and make a comment on the quality of the product or the designs. Watched a couple of videos posted here for the Swiss Pearl edition and the Orange edition.
I admit, it looks a bit weak and lacking in depth but maybe once in my hand I will make a better judgment.

This is not good news for us collectors Topps taking over the Euros because we have seen the path they have taken with the CL collections down the years. IMO of course.

 

[BelishaBeacon]

I am disappointed to hear this. My friend did the Topps/Merlin PL albums in several recent years and by the final edition they were only doing 10 player stickers per club!
Even the one edition I did (2015/16) which had over 500 stickers was ridiculously sparkly as though a child can only be attracted by bright shiny things. Over the last decade that series had only been 500+ stickers twice and usually well under 400.

I have nothing against Panini apart from increasing prices, but I am new here and perhaps do not look for the same things as other collectors!

 

[DecjeNovineFan]

I think Topps will try to get Wc too will they get it i don't know , but panini chance not looks good now if Topps do good job with euro, from romantic side i don't like panini lose euro , but as they kill romantic in my opinion first time in 2002 then latter when they mix stickers in boxes to us buy more boxes, then badge problem , then rookie fever maybe it's better they lose all at the end

 

[Duke]

Yes, Topps has proven to be "cheap" and "plain" in their football albums.
Of course Panini has always been the synonym of football stickers and especially of the two grand tournaments.

BUT:
Panini has also become very greedy, increasing the prices every couple of years for the past decade.
Panini has in the same time gotten "much cheaper" in their design too, with two consecutive EURO album disgraces (2016,2020) IMO.
Panini has also found the BRIGHTEST IDEA of creating 2-3-4 different design of albums with different sticker colour and/or numbering, making swapping very difficult across Europe (and worldwide).
And, based on all the above, Panini has also tried to classify countries between poor and rich, just to make as much profit as they can get. Pure greed.

So, as much as WC/EURO has always meant "Panini" in my mind and memories, maybe it's the best idea to move on to a new provider of these memorable collections.

They should have gotten the "message" already but they kept on and we can see the results also in this latest collection.