Now that the calendar has flipped a page to 2012, the Summer Olympics in London are less than seven months away. As we get closer to the summer, expect plenty of hype, anticipation and... trading cards?
It turns out American Olympians will be well represented on cardboard even before the Games arrive. The U.S. Olympic Committee announced yesterday that it had chosen Topps to be the exclusive producer of trading cards featuring the Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes, with the company's initial offerings coming to collectors this spring.
"It is an honor for the company to commemorate the pinnacle of sports and this country's best athletes," said Doug Kruep, Topps GM of sports & entertainment, in a company press release. "We look forward to offering supporters of Team USA athletes a truly unique keepsake and collectible."
Historically, Olympic stars have a limited amount of time to capitalize on their accomplishments at the Games, and collectors of Olympic products and memorabilia make up a relatively small subset of the overall collecting community in the U.S. But having the cards available before the Games start should help build some buzz, as should the presence of already famous athletes like swimmer Michael Phelps and soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo.
Other Olympians to look for include track and field stars Alyson Felix and Lolo Jones and gymnast Jordyn Wieber. Topps has announced that the cards will feature many of the bells and whistles collectors expect, like cards embedded with Olympic pins, patches and replica medals and, of course, autographed cards.
To top it all off, buying the cards will help Team USA, as a portion of every sale will go toward the Olympic and Paralympic squads.
Keep an eye on the Topps website for more details on the U.S. Olympic trading cards over the next few months.
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