Pawtuckett, RI —  Hasbro, Inc., has announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) for the highly anticipated re-launch of Starting Lineup, an iconic sports collectibles brand. The Starting Lineup collectible will also include an exclusive, officially licensed Panini NBA trading card. Launching this fall in partnership with Fanatics, a global digital sports platform, the Starting Lineup brand will feature legendary NBA superstars as part of its first wave of figures and will be available for pre-order starting September 22 exclusively on Hasbro Pulse and across the Fanatics network of online sites, including Fanatics.com and official league stores.

“The NBA and NBPA are tremendous partners for the return of the Starting Lineup brand, and we cannot wait for fans to experience some of the biggest names in the league as action figures,” said Eric Nyman, President and COO of Hasbro. “The return of one of the most beloved sports collectibles brands of all time would not be complete without the inclusion of fan-favorite NBA superstars.”

The return of the Starting Lineup brand will continue its legacy of bringing fans and collectors their favorite athletes in action figure form but with design like never before in a highly articulated 6” scale.

“We look forward to the relaunch of Starting Lineup in the coming months as we meet the excitement of our fans and additionally introduce a new generation to these collectibles,” said Brian Keegan, Head of Trading Cards, Memorabilia and Hardgoods at the NBA. “Through our partnership with Hasbro, these figures provide our fans a unique opportunity to build upon their connection to our game and their favorite players.”

“We are thrilled to be partners with Hasbro and Panini in relaunching this iconic brand. Working together, we hope to continue to reimagine the possibilities for sports collectibles and action figures while also amplifying our collective players’ profiles on these platforms,” said Inky Son, VP of Licensing for THINK450, the innovation engine of the NBPA.

The Starting Lineup brand developed a massive following by bringing sports enthusiasts figures of their favorite superstar players accompanied by a trading card for more than a decade, and the introduction of notable NBA players will be the first of an all-new era of major athletes joining its classic heritage. Hasbro is also working with OneTeam Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, on the athlete and creative marketing campaign.

For more information on the upcoming launch of the Starting Lineup brand, please visit Hasbro Pulse | Where Fans Come First or follow the Starting Lineup brand at @StartingLineupOfficial on Instagram and Facebook, as well as @SLUOfficial_ on Twitter. You can download high-resolution video of the latest teaser trailer here. 

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans and families. Hasbro delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games; entertainment through eOne, its independent studio; and gaming, led by the team at Wizards of the Coast, an award-winning developer of tabletop and digital games best known for fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.

The company’s unparalleled portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands includes MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS, as well as premier partner brands. For the past decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media and one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute. Important business and brand updates are routinely shared on our Investor Relations website, Newsroom and social channels (@Hasbro on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.)

About Hasbro Pulse

Hasbro Pulse is the place fans come first for some of the best product offerings and experiences from the Hasbro brands they love. Hasbro Pulse offers fans exclusive product offerings, a glimpse at behind-the-scenes material, and insider details that cannot be found anywhere else.

Hasbro Pulse also hosts Hasbro Pulse Con, a two-day virtual event that goes in-depth with Hasbro’s brands and people, reveals exclusive products and behind-the-scenes stories, and allows fans to experience one-of-a-kind moments that celebrate their biggest passions within Hasbro’s franchises.

About Fanatics

Fanatics, Inc. is the ultimate one-stop sports fan destination that ignites and harnesses the passion of fans and maximizes the presence and reach for preeminent sports partners globally. Leveraging long-standing relationships with more than 900 sports properties, a database of more than 80 million consumers worldwide and a trusted brand name, Fanatics is furthering its innovation across the sports landscape by building the leading global digital sports platform, complete with offerings including licensed merchandise, trading cards and collectibles, digital collectibles and NFT’s, and online gambling and iGaming.

About the NBA 

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About the NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the for-profit subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities, and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

About THINK450 

THINK450 is the innovation and partnership engine of the NBPA, dedicated to uncovering shared interests between the 450 players and leading brands to build more engaging partnerships. Together with its partners, THINK450 creates original ideas that engage fans, stir them to action, and earn brands the right to participate in cultural conversations. For more information, visit THINK450.com.

About PANINI 

The Panini Group, established 60 years ago in Modena, Italy, has subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States.  Panini is the world leader in officially licensed collectibles and is the most significant publisher of collectibles in the U.S., with official licenses for NBA, NBPA, NFL, NFLPA, FIFA, UFC, MLBPA, NASCAR, College, Disney, Epic Games and other key properties from many other licensors. Panini is also the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.

Panini has distribution channels in more than 150 countries and employs a staff of over 1,200. For more information visit us at www.paniniamerica.net, www.paninigroup.com or
http://blog.paniniamerica.net/. You can also follow Panini America on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.