Are You A Dog Owner or Dog Show Enthusiast? TOPPS Might Have a New Trading Card Stack Headed Your Way!

Did Trading Cards Just Get a Tail-Wagging Upgrade?

Topps, a heavyweight of collectible cardboard cards, who've brought us nostalgic assets from baseball to WWF, Snoop-Dog to Garbage Pail Kids, has teamed up with the Westminster Kennel Club for a new series of cards called "Stars of the Show," which is pretty dog-gone interesting!

As noted recently on CNN, “these aren’t your average baseball cards - they feature champion canines from Sage the Miniature Poodle to Trumpet the Bloodhound, with an extra treat for the die-hard collectors: relic cards. Instead of a game-worn jersey swatch, these beauties contain actual pieces of the winner’s “Best in Show” ribbon.

And for the ultimate flex, Topps has created seven ultra-rare one-of-a-kind cards featuring the winning handler’s purple lapel, fully embedded in the card.”

Talk About a Collector’s Item with Pedigree!

Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior VP of product, says "trading cards are all about celebrating heroes, and who deserves that title more than the four-legged champions ruling the Westminster ring? From the high-stakes competition to the inevitable zoomies, these dogs have earned their moment in the collectible spotlight."

The 2024 Dog Show was picked up in almost every mainstream media outlet & publication, driving potentially billions of media impressions to the event, which in itself is certainly no small paw-print (image of winner below & article, from USA TODAY).

DID YOU KNOW?

The Westminster Dog Show was first held in 1877 (almost 150 years ago) and is America’s 2nd longest running sporting event, here before we even had lightbulbs!  There are around 339 BREEDS of dogs, with 90 Million living in just the US alone, with dogs ranking as the #1 most popular pet globally (just Google that one for yourself).

That 's a pretty solid user base for Topps to sink it canines into for a new collectible class!

After reading this I have to admit - this instantly reminded me of the cult classic Best in Show. The 2000 mockumentary starring Eugene Levy & Catherine O’Hara (also in Schitz Creek for you Canadian Fans!) captured the delightful chaos of elite dog competitions with perfection; quirky handlers, over-the-top grooming, relentless sarcasm and laughs and, of course, the dogs stealing every scene.  IMHO, it's a MUST-SEE!

Much like the film, these Topps cards give fans an inside look at the personalities behind the pooches, proving that behind every perfectly stacked stance is a beloved pet who just wants belly rubs and treats.

For we Digital Collectors, might Topps add these assets to their current ToppsNFT Business?

With NFTs and blockchain technology, digitizating these cards could expand markets for Topps, making these prized pups even more accessible to collectors, dog owners & Kennel Club Fans worldwide. Whether in New York or Tokyo, your ability to own, trade, and showcase these canine champions in digital form would be a future-proofed upgrade. Topps Digital is already set to expand its baseball offerings to include soccer, Bazooka & Godzilla so why not Dogs?

Of course, this isn’t the first time dogs have graced trading cards. As far back as the 1800s, baseball cards sometimes had ball players posing with their pet dogs.  If you Google ‘Dog Trading Cards’ you can find a swath of niche sets or groups that had cards printed, like these from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Dept, releasing cards of their K-9 dog teams!

This move though, seems to reflect Westminster’s push to make their prestigious event feel more approachable, blending history with modern fandom to draw in new audiences and fan engagement, which also brings in new revenue streams too.  With that 150th year anniversary right around the fire hydrant in Madison Square Garden, the timing for this release is also a decent marketing strategy.

Beneath the perfectly coiffed fur, stadium struts and championship ribbons though, these are still dogs who love rolling in the grass and adore the attention of their owners.

The Topps collection celebrates these champions as both elite athletes and beloved pets. Whether you’re a die-hard dog show enthusiast or just someone who appreciates a good, new collector’s item, one thing’s for sure: this set is paws-itively irresistible!  (INSERT GROAN!!!)

Thanks for Reading!