A growing slice of the sports-licensing pie consists of part-toy/part-collectible figures depicting uniformed athletes from the pro leagues, along with pro and collegiate mascots. The products, made under license from the leagues and their players’ associations, are moderately priced and have play value, but also appeal to collectors young and old.
Some of the key licensees in this sector include Oyo Sports (mini-figures), Funko (vinyl figures), Bleacher Creatures (plush figures), and Forever Collectibles (bobble-heads). Some hold rights for all the leagues and some colleges, while others work with just one or a few licensors.
The figures from each company have a distinct look and positioning, making them more complementary than competitive to one another.
Some of these products skew more toward the play side of the spectrum, and others a bit more toward collectibles. But for the most part, this segment fits between the pure toys, such as Playmobil’s NHL figures and games, and the often higher-end pure collectibles, such as those from McFarlane Toys (all leagues) or Imports Dragon (MLB and NHL).
Overall, hybrid toy-collectibles represent a narrow opportunity within the grand scheme of sports licensing. But the niche has been expanding of late and seems to have plenty of room for further growth.
The November Raugust Communications e-newsletter goes out next Tuesday, November 15. The Licensing Trend of the Month takes a look at the lifespan of hot categories and properties, such as adult coloring, ugly Christmas sweaters, and Frozen; they often hang around longer than expected these days. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here.
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