One of the most legendary lines of sports action figures is emerging from the dugout for a reboot.
Hasbro, in partnership with Fanatics, is relaunching Starting Lineup, a Kenner legacy brand that initially ran from 1988 to 2001. The original brand featured 3.75-inch scale posed action figures of real-life players from Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
While most of the original series focused on current athletes of the era, later sets included matchups and sports icons in addition to famous athletes from boxing, gymnastics, and more.
“The fast-growing sports collectibles category presents great opportunities to connect with fans of all ages, and we’ve got many exciting announcements to come from the brand in the months ahead,” says Hasbro President and COO Eric Nyman
The relaunched Starting Lineup brand will be offered for sale via Hasbro Pulse in addition to Fanatics’ network of official league stores and its own Fanatics.com.
In recent months, Fanatics has made huge strides in expanding its efforts into the sports collectibles range. The company recently acquired The Topps Co. and has begun issuing trading cards under its Fanatics Collectibles banner.
