Collectibles manufacturer Topps to produce trading cards for 100+ NCAA basketball & football programs

The GIST: School’s (almost) out, but deals are still in — and Topps just inked a big one. The collectibles manufacturer announced agreements with over 100 universities on Thursday, allowing Topps to produce trading cards for NCAA basketball and football programs. In the name, image and likeness (NIL) era, that equals profits for athletes, too.

The details: Cards will be released under Topps’ Bowman University brand, just in time for back-to-school season. The deal encompasses both rights to school branding and athletes’ NIL, meaning colleges and players have financial skin in the game. Checks for students will vary, but could top out at five figures each. That’s a lot of beer pizza money.

• The company’s roster of talent includes South Carolina basketball star Aliyah Boston, the Most Outstanding Player of this year’s NCAA championship squad.

Zooming out: Topps is kicking off its collection with the most popular collegiate sports and the ones that earn the most in NIL compensation: Basketball and football collect a whopping 82.6% of deals combined. It makes Topps’ cards a valuable new offering in the booming trading card space — including those featuring female athletes.

• The move also solidifies physical memorabilia’s place in the increasingly digital collector space — especially among younger crowds. There just might be a seat for everyone at the trading table.