Current Events > Fanatics is being given free reign to build as big of a monopoly as it wants

(+) Yeah! (+)

With the story breaking of MLB and MLBPA dropping Topps for Fanatics when it comes to player cards (starting in 5 years), it also appears they're going after the NBA/NBAPA and NFL/NFLPA

https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/status/1428437451492704263

(No mention of the NHL/NHLPA but there's no way that's not also happening).

Fanatics also:
-Owns/operates Lids
-Owns/operates Steiner Sports
-Owns/operates FansEdge
-Owns/operates Sports Memorabilia

And runs the online stores for:
-MLB
-NASCAR
-NBA
-NFL
-NHL
-PGA
-MLS
-UFC
-CBS Sports
-FOX Sports
-NBC Sports
-US Olympic Team

Like this is fucking nuts
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reminder we have anti monopoly laws that we never enforce

Correct
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How long until Disney purchases Fanatics?

I wouldnt care that they had a monopoly if their products werent awful.

But they dont actually have a monopoly, they only have a monopoly over officialproducts. And their replicas are a lot worse than the fakes out there.

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Damn_Underscore posted...

But they dont actually have a monopoly, they only have a monopoly over officialproducts.

That's quite literally what a monopoly is lol
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Bio1590 posted...

That's quite literally what a monopoly is lol

i think what hes saying is that other people can make baseball jerseys etc they just cant use the likeness of the leagues.

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I4NRulez posted...

i think what hes saying is that other people can make baseball jerseys etc they just cant use the likeness of the leagues.

Other clothing companies and card printing companies can presumably still attempt to get the licenses in future years with attractive deals as well. Presumably, to break this "monopoly" we would basically have to force sports franchises into taking less attractive offers. If there were other, better offers for the license holders, why wouldn't they have taken them already?

Unless there's evidence this is motivation by something like bribery, blackmail, corruption, etc. I don't really think there's much issue here. Sports memorabilia isn't a necessity, so the demand should be pretty sensitive to pricing and quality; people can reasonably decide to not partake at all, as opposed to something like a phone, car, refrigerator, etc where you effectively need one to be a functional member of society. But if the license can raise the value of lower quality goods for higher profits, that is ultimately a choice of the license holder imo, which must be enabled by consumer spending anyway.

Now, maybe Fanatics is using underhanded tactics to muscle competitors out of the game. But getting contracts by offering more attractive deals? With the potential for other companies to do the same to them down the line? Difficult argument for a monopoly imo.

Edit: The important thing here imo is that the license holder can still choose to make a partnership with other companies, and will do so when better and more competitive opportunities arise. To really be a monopoly, that can't be true imo.

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That's not a monopoly.

Other people can and do use the likeness of the leagues. They are just not official. But they can be really good quality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6o1pCVSXZQ


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