Authentic Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Care Bears, Expanding Its Entertainment Platform Into Character IP
Authentic to enter family entertainment with its first character franchise and extend its model of accelerating iconic IP across content, experiences and global commerce
NEW YORK, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Authentic Brands Group (“Authentic”), a global brand and entertainment platform, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of Care Bears, one of the world’s most beloved and enduring family entertainment franchises.
Authentic is one of the world’s largest owners of intellectual property and has built a modern entertainment platform that accelerates IP through content, experiences and global commerce. Care Bears fits squarely within this asset-rich platform, expanding Authentic’s presence in family entertainment and character IP.
Care Bears brings global awareness, multigenerational fandom and commercial scale that few brands can match. Originally introduced in the early 1980s as a greeting card concept, Care Bears has evolved into a global entertainment franchise generating more than $12 billion in lifetime retail sales. The brand includes more than 100 bears, each representing a distinct emotion or expression, including Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear and Grumpy Bear. It reaches consumers in more than 190 countries, appears in 26 languages and is distributed across leading platforms worldwide, with a growing slate including short-form content, gaming, live experiences and film.
“Care Bears is the gold standard of family entertainment,” said Corey Salter, CEO of Authentic’s Entertainment division. “It arrives with a nearly 45-year history of genuine emotional connection, an active content pipeline, a vast network of more than 500 licensing partners and a devoted fanbase that keeps growing. Our opportunity is not simply to steward the brand and its message of positivity; it’s to bring Care Bears into Authentic’s powerful platform and write the next great chapter in one of entertainment’s most enduring franchises.”
Authentic Studios and Authentic Live, divisions of Authentic Brands Group, will play central roles in extending the Care Bears universe through new stories, audiences and fan experiences.
Since launching in 2023, Authentic Studios has introduced new ways for audiences to engage with Authentic’s intellectual property through original content and experiences, including Beckham, Shaq’s Dunkman League and EPiC Elvis Presley. Authentic Live connects brands with the world’s most influential moments in sports, culture and entertainment through more than 60 annual events, spanning large-scale ticketed experiences, exclusive VIP gatherings and industry-leading thought leadership programming.
The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a leading sports, media, entertainment and lifestyle platform. As the owner of some of the most iconic and beloved intellectual property in the world, Authentic acquires and invests in brands to create long-term value for all of its stakeholders.
A digital-first, asset-rich platform, Authentic sits at the intersection of culture, commerce and technology. It brings brands to life and cultivates fandom through powerful storytelling, premium content and unforgettable live experiences. Together with more than 1,700 best-in-class licensing partners across 150 countries and an expansive distribution network, Authentic’s brands drive more than $36 billion in annual systemwide retail sales worldwide.
Authentic’s diversified portfolio spans more than 50 brands and reaches nearly one billion social media followers. Its roster includes Reebok, Champion, Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, Kevin Hart, Sports Illustrated, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, GUESS, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nine West, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Vince Camuto, Izod, Van Heusen, Dockers, Ted Baker, Hart Schaffner Marx, Vince, Barneys New York, Judith Leiber, Quiksilver, Spyder, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Prince, Sperry and Hunter.
For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com. Follow Authentic on LinkedIn, Instagram and WeChat.
About Authentic Studios
Authentic Studios is a global media company that develops and produces premium content across film, television, commercial, live stage, and audio. The company is comprised of four distinct labels: Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, David Beckham’s Studio 99, Sports Illustrated Studios, and Authentic Productions.
Productions include Jersey Legends’ docuseries Power Moves (Netflix), the Emmy-nominated Shaq (HBO), The Money Game (Prime Video), and Allen Iv3rson (Prime Video), Studio 99’s Emmy-winning docuseries Beckham (Netflix) and 99 (Prime Video), Sports Illustrated Studios’ documentary Surviving Ohio State (Tribeca Film Fest, HBO), and Authentic Productions’ scripted Muhammad Ali series The Greatest (Prime Video), Baz Luhrmann’s film EPiC (TIFF Premiere 2025), and live musical special Christmas at Graceland (NBC/Peacock).
Authentic Studios is a division of Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), the world’s leading owner of sports, lifestyle and entertainment intellectual property. Authentic acquires and owns iconic brands, positions them for long-term growth and partners with top-tier operators to scale globally, all while delivering bold storytelling and marketing that brings each brand to life.
About Care Bears
Since 1982, Care Bears has connected generations of fans through stories rooted in caring, optimism and friendship. One of the world’s most recognizable entertainment franchises, the brand reaches audiences across more than 190 countries through content, consumer products and experiences.
Media Contact
Haley Steinberg
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SOURCE Authentic Brands Group
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