USA Baseball and Topps Announce Deal

(DURHAM, N.C.) - USA Baseball and the Topps Company, the leading creator and marketer of sports cards, today announced an exclusive multi-year licensing deal to make Topps the Official Baseball Card of USA Baseball. Topps will have exclusivity on USA Baseball trademarks, logos and other intellectual property, for use on cards featuring USA Baseball players.

From 1984-1993 Topps was the exclusive card manufacturer for USA Baseball, producing cards for the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team.  The new agreement calls for cards, autographs and game-used equipment of USA Baseball's Collegiate, 18U and 16U National Team players to be featured in a variety of Topps products each year.

"Twenty-five years after collectors were first introduced to USA Baseball, our organization is pleased to have Topps, the industry leader, return as the exclusive home for USA Baseball trading cards," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO.  "We look forward to working closely with Topps as together we provide collectors with a look at the future of America's game on trading cards."

"Now we're the only trading card licensed by Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and USA Baseball," said Warren Friss, Vice President - General Manager of Topps Sports and Entertainment.  "We are covering the game of baseball at every level."

Each year USA Baseball selects close to 60 of the best young baseball players in the country to its National Teams, giving collectors the first opportunity to see the future stars of baseball on cards.  The first product release with USA Baseball content will be 2010 Bowman Baseball which will be released in May and feature cards of the 2009 Collegiate National Team and 2009 18U National Team.  

In addition to the Topps sets featuring USA Baseball inserts, the annual USA Baseball National Teams Box Set will also be manufactured by Topps and will continue to be the exclusive place to get all members of the USA Baseball National Team in one set.  The box set is scheduled for a December release in 2010 and in each of the remaining years of the agreement.

About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the National Governing Body of amateur baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic Team and World Cup Team (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 16U and 14U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women's National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year.  USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to top player in college baseball.  For more information, please visit www.USABaseball.com and www.GoldenSpikesAward.com.

About The Topps Company
Founded in 1938, Topps is a leading creator and marketer of sports and related cards, entertainment products, and distinctive confectionery. Topps entertainment products include Major League Baseball, UFC, NHL and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectible games. The Company's confectionery brands include "Bazooka" bubble gum, "Ring Pop," "Push Pop," "Baby Bottle Pop" and "Juicy Drop Pop" lollipops. For additional information, visit www.topps.com.

Tags: USA Baseball