Best known for putting a fresh spin on pop culture icons such as He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, Alien, Street Fighter, and the Universal Monsters; Super7 is getting into a whole new ballgame.
The San Francisco-based designer of toys, collectibles, and pop culture lifestyle products launched a new brand — Supersports by Super7 — just in time for spring training. Previewed at Toy Fair New York, Super7 Director of Sports and Licensing Bart Silberman gave The Toy Book and The Pop Insider a firsthand look at the new products coming out of the company’s new licensing agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB). It’s a fitting way to launch a line that marries Super7’s incredible design style with the world of sports.
Supersports, from Super7, will include 3.75-inch ReAction Figures of players and mascots, 1:64-scale Bullpen Buggies die-cast vehicles, enamel pins, Mascot Super-Buckets, and more.
“Growing up, the first thing I ever collected was baseball cards,” says Brian Flynn, Super7 founder. “When I was seven years old, my uncle sent me a complete box of 1978 Topps Baseball Cards for Christmas. I opened every pack and sorted them by team, and then by number, and then back by team, and number and so on for months. I loved these baseball cards, and I want to bring that same emotion back to the figures and packaging we are making for our Supersports line of baseball figures. Something that brings you back in time, brings you a bit of unexpected joy and brings a smile to your face.”
The inaugural Supersports collection includes “Classic All-Stars” such as Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Carlton Fisk, Mickey Mantle, Roy Campanella, and more, alongside modern “Baseball All-Stars” including Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey. Players in the first wave represent teams from two of the most legendary rivalries in professional sports —the Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Francisco Giants, and the New York Yankees versus Boston Red Sox.
The Mascots ReAction Figure line will begin with classics such as Mr. Met and the Phillie Phanatic, alongside the oddball Crazy Crab, who appeared for just one season (1984) as the Giants mascot. My fingers are crossed that this line will eventually roll deep with characters such as the Chicago White Sox’s Ribbie and Roobarb, and The Famous Chicken.
“Our aim is to tell the history of the game in a fun and different way thanks to licensing agreements with everyone from MLB Players Inc. and MLB Alumni Association to Topps and CMGWW,” Silberman says. “I have been involved with MLB licensing for more than 20 years, but I’ve never seen such a creative collection. It feels like stuff we had as kids, but all of it is brand new.”
And if sports aren’t your thing? Stay tuned! We’ll have more pop culture collectibles from Super7 featured here on the Pop Insider in the weeks ahead.
