Play-by-Play Toys & Novelties Inc., San Antonio, TX, announced May 21 that it will launch its first catalog this fall. The catalog will include the company's toys and novelty items based on licenses from popular entertainment characters, sports teams and corporate trademarks, as well as nonlicensed novelty items, electronic toys and nonlicensed stuffed toys. The first catalog is expected to include several of the company's new interactive products, such as Talkin' Tots, Knickie-n-Knockie and Penny & Patches. The catalog will be headed by William Rooney, vice president, who recently joined the company from Regal Greetings. The company made the decision to launch the catalog to add a new channel of distribution for its products, which are sold by retailers such as Toys “R” Us and Wal-Mart and in amusement markets such as Sea World, Six Flags, Premier Parks and Dave and Busters. “This new division is a natural fit with our existing business lines. Our broad array of licenses gives us a competitive edge in the catalog business, as there are currently no other companies able to offer the consumer a wider selection of high-quality plush toys and novelty items,” said Arturo G. Torres, chairman and CEO of Play-by-Play.
