Topps All-New Fantasy Baseball Competition Lets Fans Put Their Collections on the Line etopps.com Readies for 2004 Baseball Season NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- etopps, the only sports card to be sold exclusively on the Internet, includes an all-new feature for the 2004 Major League season-"Playing For Keeps." "Playing For Keeps" lets collectors put their card collections on the line with a variety of Fantasy Baseball Tournaments and Private Challenges. "If youreally think you know the game of baseball, here's a chance to put your cards on the line," said Warren Friss, VP of Internet Business for Topps. "With an ever growing number of fans and collectors playing fantasy sports, it makes for a perfect fit with our unique site." In addition for 2004, etopps now allows users to make real-time card trades. The age-old ritual of swapping cards heats up as 15,000 trades have been made between collectors in the program's first two weeks. etopps will offer 5-8 cards per week and will continue throughout the 2004 baseball season offering 90 players and 30 team cards in all. This week's offerings include Alex Rodriguez, Josh Beckett, Edwin Jackson, Bill Mueller, Rocco Baldelli and team cards of the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians. etopps cards, which also feature basketball, football and hockey stars, are available during limited offering windows and in very limited quantities (2,000 - 10,000). Once the ordering window closes, the cards are never offered again. The price for each card is between $4.00 and $9.50. Once cards are purchased. Most owners of etopps cards elect to have their cards physically remain in possession of Topps and tracked in a personal online portfolio. Alternatively, buyers can also have their cards delivered to them, in uncirculated mint condition (in a tamper evident acrylic case). Only etopps cards held in personal on-line portfolios can be traded, sold or used in "Playing for Keeps." Portfolios are constantly updated to reflect the latest card prices on the etopps Trading Floor on eBay and consumers can track cards and market trends on the etopps Trading Floor Summary. Topps Internet business includes Topps.com, etopps (http://www.etopps.com/) Topps Vault (http://www.toppsvault.com/) and thePit.com. Founded in 1938, Topps is a leading creator and marketer of distinctive confectionery and entertainment products. The Company's confectionery brands include "Ring Pop," "Push Pop," "Baby Bottle Pop" and "Juicy Drop Pop" lollipops as well as "Bazooka" bubble gum. Topps entertainment products include trading cards, sticker and album collections, and collectible games. DATASOURCE: The Topps Company, Inc. CONTACT: Clay Luraschi of The ToppsCompany, Inc., +1-415-863-2516, Web site: http://www.topps.com/ http://www.etopps.com/ http://www.toppsvault.com/ http://thepit.com/

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