Good grief! Now that it appears Charlie Brown and his Peanuts gang have Joe Boxer in the outfield, what lies ahead for his team this season?

In case you missed it, the licensing rights to Charlie Brown and the "Peanuts" gang were recently sold to Iconix Brand Group and the family of the strip's creator Charles Schulz for $175 million in a cash deal. "Peanuts" joins a brand family at Iconix that includes Joe Boxer, Candie's and London Fog. Iconix will own 80%, while the Schulz family will take 20% in its first ownership role, according to AdAge.com.

While the lovable but perennial losers will more than likely lay another giant goose egg in the win column this baseball season, the brand itself, Team Peanuts, will undoubtedly enjoy another stellar season. Worldwide.

Charlie, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy seem to grow more popular in cultures across the globe. Joe Boxer would be proud. It doesn’t seem likely that Iconix could do anything to even remotely tarnish the brand. Team Peanuts is practically on auto-pilot and has been cruising along rather nicely, thank you very much.

Iconix says there are more than 1,200 licensing deals with companies such as Hallmark, CVS, and Old Navy in 40 countries with annual retail sales of more than $2 billion. There are 150 licensees in the U.S., 250 in Europe, 200 in Japan, 200 in the rest of Asia, 70 in Latin America and 20 in Australia, so says United Media's Peanuts.com.

While the "Peanuts" characters are known globally, the gang is especially popular in Asia. AdAge reports, for example, that in Japan there are Snoopy-themed cafes and a popular Snoopy Studios attraction at Universal Studios Japan. In China and Taiwan, there are more than 2,000 branded-retail outlets for "Peanuts," including Charlie Brown Cafés, Snoopy Bakeries and Snoopy fashion stores.

Okay, even though the gang has a global presence, we could have some fun speculating on how Iconix could further enhance Team Peanuts. Might we see Snoopy in a photo spread for GQ or Beagle Quarterly, sporting the latest in Joe Boxer fashion? What about Lucy or Sally showcasing Candies? How ‘bout Charlie in a London Fog? Um, probably not.

I don’t think we have to worry about Iconix screwing around with Charlie and the gang. They know a good thing when they see it. After all, Mr. Schultz’s family wouldn’t stand for it, especially given their ownership interest. 

No, I see Iconix further enhancing Team Peanuts globally, perhaps in ways Mr. Schultz never imagined.

Indulge me. Wouldn’t it be fun to watch Charlie and his teammates play an exhibition game in Tokyo? What about listening as Schroeder plays Beethoven’s Fifth in the company of the London Philharmonic Orchestra or the Boston Pops? 

It may not be realistic but it’s fun to imagine. I’ve often thought what it would be like if I was transported into Snoopy and Charlie’s world. I’d be a kid again (since adults are never seen and rarely heard). I could join with Snoopy atop his Sopwith Camel to fight the Red Baron (the German nemesis, not the pizza). Ah, the thrill of it all!

So what do you, the readers and marketers out there in adult land think? Let me know. Those of you wishing to express thoughts about the Marketing Syndicate blogs or any of the services on this site can contact Linden Lauve. We want to hear from you, okay?