![[TOY SHORTAGESw]A Tickle Me Elmo doll is shown Wednesday, Dec. 4, 1996, in New York. Surprised by soaring demand, the maker of Tickle Me Elmo is flying in the dolls from China. It is a plush doll based on the Sesame Street character that giggles when you press its tummy, and sells for under $30.](/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20091207__20091208_B06_BZ08TOYSHELFp1.jpg "20091207__20091208_B06_BZ08TOYSHELF~p1.JPG")
NEW YORK — Elmo is getting a new home — or his toys are, at least. Toy maker Hasbro said Monday it will make and market toys and games based on “Sesame Street” characters such as Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster.
The deal takes the license away from rival Mattel, which will make “Sesame Street” toys under its Fisher-Price brand under a deal lasting through 2010. The agreement covers all “Sesame Street” toys, but Julie Duffy, a representative for Hasbro, said it’s “too early to tell” which toys it will continue making, including the popular Tickle Me Elmo toy.
NPD Group industry analyst Anita Frazier said it’s a “significant” win for Hasbro because Sesame Workshop is a top toy brand for children under 5 — an age group representing nearly half of annual toy sales. The Associated Press
