News

Fanatics/Topps has taken a proactive step in transparency by engaging KPMG, a leading audit firm, to scrutinize its card distribution processes. This move aims to address longstanding concerns among collectors and dealers regarding the fairness and randomness of high-value card distributions. During the Industry Conference in Atlanta, Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan announced that after several months of thorough review, KPMG confirmed that Fanatics/Topps' procedures effectively prevent the intentional placement of high-value cards to specific customers.

The suspicions around Fanatics/Topps potentially favoring large volume customers or prominent breakers have been a topic of debate within the collector community. These concerns were amplified by social media videos showing breakers pulling multiple valuable cards, leading to speculation about the randomness of pack contents. However, Greg Abovsky, CFO of Fanatics Collectibles, emphasized that the frequency of high-value pulls by major breakers is a statistical likelihood due to the sheer volume they handle, rather than any manipulation of the packing process.

KPMG's audit involved a comprehensive review at the Texas printing facility where the cards are produced. The firm examined the collation process and the production logs for each job to ensure that the distribution of cards is genuinely random, as claimed by Topps. This initiative, first of its kind in the industry according to Fanatics, aims to dispel myths and confirm the integrity of their distribution process to the collector community.

In addition to the audit findings, Abovsky clarified that Fanatics has never seeded boxes with valuable cards for promotional purposes, countering another common suspicion among collectors. With plans to make the randomness audit an annual event, Fanatics aims to continue demonstrating their commitment to fairness and transparency in their practices.