NEW YORK: Topps, international marketer of entertainment products, among them collectible sports trading cards and bubble gum, is to undergo a makeover at the hands of Michael Eisner , as the former Walt Disney Company boss aims to transform the firm into a media business.
Eisner, who snapped up Topps for $385 million (€268m; £191m), wants to extend the reach of its characters, such as Bazooka Joe, into television.
He declares: "I think [Topps] can be built into a media brand. It's an interesting brand that can be grown in Europe."
The company has agreements with Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and World Wrestling Entertainment, which are arguably more geared to the US market, but it has also inked a deal with the English soccer Premier League.
Data sourced from Financial Times online; additional content by WARC staff
