Source: Hasbro

Hasbro‘s Starting Lineup is getting some new players next year.

The company behind G.I. Joe and Transformers revealed that it inked new licensing agreements with the National Football League (NFL) and National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Under the new deals, some of the biggest names in football will join the relaunched Starting Lineup brand of action figures beginning next year.

Starting Lineup relaunched this fall with an inaugural lineup of 6-inch scale action figures inspired by players from the National Basketball League (NBA).

“We love products that spotlight the players’ likenesses and personalities because that authenticity strengthens fan-player connections,” says Terése Whitehead, vice president, consumer products and strategy at NFL Players Inc., the marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA. “Bringing NFL players into Starting Lineup is a perfect opportunity to combine that authenticity with a fun, nostalgic brand designed to elevate the whole experience for longtime collectors and a new generation of fans.”

Related: The First Series of Starting Lineup NBA Figures Is a Slam Dunk

The Starting Lineup relaunch is in partnership with Fanatics and is offered direct-to-consumer via Hasbro Pulse and Fanatics-operated team stores.

The NFL/NFLPA collection will be available to preorder beginning next year.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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