Connor Bedard signs multi-year contract with controversial NHL partner

Fanatics has just signed a multiyear, exclusive deal with Connor Bedard, naming itself the official source of memorabilia for this rising Chicago Blackhawks star. The deal will see the company become the exclusive provider of all collectibles related to Bedard, such as jerseys, photographs, and other licensed merchandise. As Bedard is fast becoming one of the most talked-about young talents in hockey, this deal becomes a big addition to the expanding sports portfolio at the ever controversial Fanatics.

The deal with Bedard also extends Fanatics' growing reach across the NHL. This season, Fanatics is the league's official outfitter of on-ice uniforms and authentic jerseys, which has upset many fans. This has placed the company's branding directly on professional-level player equipment for the first time.

While this is a step forward, hockey is still the only major North American sport that isn't exclusively aligned with the trading card division of Fanatics. Fanatics took home future trading card rights for MLB, the NBA, and NFLPA back in 2021, but the NHL and NHLPA opted to stick with The Upper Deck Company. For now, Upper Deck remains the home of NHL trading cards, which means hockey fans have to go through the company for their collectibles.

Bedard joins an impressive class of talent with comparable exclusive deals with Fanatics, including NHLers Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, plus a host of other sports stars like Tom Brady, Aaron Judge, Harry Kane, and Victor Wembanyama. Bedard's signing places him in very select company and points out his rise not only in the world of hockey but, in fact, in the sports world altogether. The stir his rookie season has caused is an example, as the pursuit of his trading cards has created quite the buzz, from a $1 million bounty for the rarest rookie card.

The Fanatics deal with Connor Bedard is a big move for both parties. For fans, it further cements them in the NHL memorabilia market, and for Bedard, it enshrines him as a star with growing influence in the sports world. The deal will mean that fans have access to Bedard's memorabilia in ways they previously did not, including some game-used items, further raising the profile of the young athlete. The deal puts Fanatics, as Bedard's career continues to develop, in a key position within the story with authentic pieces of hockey history for the fans. Here's hoping this deal can start to turn around the bad reputation Fanatics has with fans for creating poor sports jerseys.