Alex Rodriguez’s blank-check firm has ended merger talks with Panini SpA after the maker of sports cards, stickers and other collectibles lost exclusive licenses related to the National Basketball Association and National Football League, Bloomberg reports, citing a person with knowledge of the matter. Slam Corp. had been conducting due diligence on a transaction set to value Panini at $3 billion or more.
Sports memorabilia company Topps met a similar fate last month. Mudrick Capital Acquisition II left Topps at the altar following the announcement that a rival won exclusive licensing agreements with unions representing players in Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. Read more.
