The Resurgence of Topps

Here’s a fun snapshot of Topps at an interesting moment in its history. The Resurgence of Topps, written by Mike Stern for the January 1997 issue of Sports Card Trader, looked at how the company had rebounded after being knocked around by Upper Deck, Fleer, Score and others in the late 1980s and early ’90s.

What really jumps out 30 years later is how Topps was doing it: Stadium Club, Finest, Bowman, Chrome, Gallery, inserts and increasingly distinct product tiers (Base, Premium and Super-Premium brands), an approach that feels awfully familiar today.

There’s also some historical irony in the article’s emphasis on Topps rebuilding its position against a crowded field of competitors. Nearly 30 years later, the pendulum has swung pretty dramatically in the other direction, with Topps/Fanatics holding exclusive licenses across several major sports. “The Resurgence of Topps” turned out to be a pretty fitting title.