A New Player in Baseball Cards - In the Game

Today, In the Game announced they're entering the baseball market. Like they've been doing with hockey for years, it looks like they'll be doing it without a major license.

They'll be kicking things off with 2010 In the Game Heroes and Prospects Hits that will offer a mix of up-and-comers and old-timers. Why the emphasis on "hits" you ask? Because there's no base cards, just hits (the press release's language, not mine). Four hits per four-card box, to be exact.

Another statement from the press release that made me chuckle:

On average, there will be 3.5 Prospect Autographs per box and every other box will contain one Heroes Cut Signature or Heroes Game-Used Memorabilia card featuring some of the greatest players to step out onto the diamond.

If I read that literally, you're going to get half a signature so people can make up their own imaginary prospects using a first name on one card and a last name on another. Of course, the statement is meant to offer an explanation of how things will be seeded.

There's little other info available at this time other than names like Jason Heyward and Tim Beckham being the headline prospects and cut signatures of Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams and Hank Aaron covering the heroes portion. The mock-ups of the cut signatures show pictures of the players, which could signal a shift in exclusive contracts. A few months ago I recall Upper Deck had an exclusive with the Dimaggio estate. But that was before the lawsuits started flying. So whatever the case, at least one Joltin' Joe autograph will lurk in boxes.

In the Game has been working around licenses for many years and they know how to make a card that looks great without infringing on rights. So while these cards might be missing a logo here and there, I'm still very interested to see where the company goes with baseball.

2010 In the Game Heroes and Prospects Hits is scheduled for release on November 1.

Is it Time the Manufacturers Look at Teaming Up?

Not only is the hobby's marketplace shrinking, but those in the game are disappearing too. They might not be going under completely (yet), but with the trend toward exclusive deals one-sport collectors are losing some of the long-standing brands they came to know and collect. But does it have to be that way? I think it'd be a win-win for everyone involved, from collectors to manufacturers and everyone in between, to consider something a little radical - teaming up and co-producing sets.

Here's how it'd work. Let's take Upper Deck Goudey Baseball as an example. Seeing as how Upper Deck isn't in the baseball game at all right now, 2010 Goudey isn't going to happen. At the same time Topps is working hard to re-brand National Chicle as a nostalgic art brand similar to what Goudey was for Upper Deck. So what if Topps borrowed the Goudey brand from Upper Deck, worked with Upper Deck as a contractor and released Topps Goudey instead of going through all the work of hoping a brand will catch on and adopt an identity for a few years.

The pros for Topps are they're getting a proven brand with a recognized following. Costs might also be a bit lower in that they're sub-contracting some of the work out. Ultimately Topps would have to sign off on it and add their brands to the packaging and they'd be the ones collecting the money at the end of the day. They also don't have to create a copycat brand to fill a hole left by a departing competitor and hope that collectors latch onto it. The industry proves every year that they'd rather take the safe road than risks. I respect this philosophy, even if it frustrates me at times, so this plays right into the conservative logic.

The pros for Upper Deck are that the brand they hold still remains in the public eye. That way, should they regain a license or look to expand into another sport, the name is still fresh in collectors' minds. Plus, Upper Deck is gaining some income from their trademark.

For collectors, they get the continuity that keeps a collection going. Often in today's hobby, there's lots of stopping and going resulting in gaps. I know these drive me nuts. Plus, the brands don't even need to change that much. Keep the spirit of the original product with the same people working on it as well, at least as consultants.

The obvious downside is that competitors don't often like working with one another. Even if Topps is the only kid on the block making licensed baseball cards, Upper Deck is ultimately still a competitor, as is Panini, In the Game, Rittenhouse Archives and even small manufacturers like 5finity and MonsterWax. For the big players in the hobby, there'd probably need to be some reconciliation. But at the end of the day, don't they all speak the same thing: $$$.

I've used the example of Goudey Baseball to illustrate my point but it's not limited to that. Imagine Upper Deck getting another chance to sub-contract to Panini to make SP Authentic and Exquisite Football? Or Upper Deck getting the go-ahead to actually use vintage Topps designs with O-Pee-Chee Hockey. 

Such partnerships aren't unheard of in the hobby. A couple of years ago Rittenhouse Archives made several excellent sets based on Marvel Comics properties on behalf of Upper Deck. I don't know the logistics of it all but Upper Deck seemed to have the license and Rittenhouse made the sets. Why couldn't this work in sports as well?

With this scenario I want to see the producers stay out to some extent. Act like a Hollywood producer who puts up the assets but holds filmmakers accountable for their work. So be hands on but let the partner maintain the brand's identity. This is the key for success. Taking Goudey and adding silver autograph stickers would kill the brand faster than Randy Johnson's fastball blowing up a seagull.

I don't know if there's legal holdups that wouldn't allow for such a scenario to happen. I'm just trying to get creative. I haven't looked into anyone's accounting books so I can't exactly where some manufacturers are at. But there are some signs that would point in the direction that some are doing better than others. So do what you must to survive and if you're hanging in there like Ford, there's no better time than to capitalize and make a little more money. So suck it up and shake hands, men.

Further Shakedowns at Upper Deck - O-Pee-Chee Metal Gets a (Welcomed) Last-Second Makeover

Read into this as you will, but Blowout cards has just posted the following:

In an attempt to relieve some of the congestion in the upcoming NHL release calendar, we have decided to cancel the release of 09-10 OPC Metal NHL. However, because the OPC brand has such a large and very loyal following, we have decided to take the base OPC cards that were to be a part of the OPC Metal product and create a 09-10 OPC Update factory set. This set will contain the complete 200 cards that finish the set (cards 601-800), and each set will also include a small number of random foil parallel cards of the update set as well.

Fact sheets will be sent out shortly, which will detail price and configuration of the new product. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause, however we feel that this is the prudent move as we look ahead into the next few months. The sets will be allocated. It is our intention to get this update set out by the end of April.

More details to follow……

A couple of thoughts:

* This is the way the set should have been in the first place. I bought all of one pack last year because I thought I wanted to build the Topps Traded-esque update set. Big mistake. The chrome Metal cards made up most of the pack. And judging by the soft prices of last year's boxes, I believe I wasn't alone in my frustration. In fact, I know others felt the same way.


* If this is truly a move "to relieve some of the congestion," it's Upper Deck's own damn fault. Note to McWilliam, your co-exclusive doesn't start until next year. You're the Lone Ranger right now and you're the one who makes up the entire hockey card calendar.


I'm actually happy by this announcement. Although I'm somewhat sour towards this year's O-Pee-Chee set, it is my intention to eventually build it.

Upper Deck Bids Adios to NFL Football

First thing I learned today: Kids and tacos mean big messes.

Second thing I learned: Upper Deck and NFL Properties didn't reach a license renewal agreement. In a brief post-dinner statement, Upper Deck announced that it wouldn't be making any NFL products as a result. It's been a tough year for the company, losing baseball, basketball and now football. Not to mention Yu-Gi-Oh and World of Warcraft in the gaming realm. What's left? Sidney Crosby, Iron Man and Hello Kitty.

Here's the Richard McWilliam quote of the day, “Over the past year, Upper Deck has attempted to negotiate a new licensing deal with NFL Properties. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were not able to reach agreeable terms, and therefore will not be issuing any NFL Properties-licensed trading cards for the 2010 season. Upper Deck will continue to focus on its exclusive license agreement with the Collegiate Licensing Company and co-exclusive agreements with NHL Enterprises and the NHL Players’ Association, as well as its multiple entertainment licenses.”

It's a lot of blah, blah, blah but I included it simply because I love the doublespeak of a co-exclusive agreement.

Expect more to come on this and its ramifications. As well as a blow-by-blow account over at SportsCardsUncensored.com.

A Seven-Letter Word for 'Restructuring'

Layoffs.

According to ICv2, Upper Deck is undergoing some personnel changes. As in some folks are likely out of work.

Nobody should be shocked as much of the company's bread and butter have recently gone elsewhere. Yu-Gi Oh was a billion-dollar license. Even if the counterfeit settlement with Konami wasn't very big, the fact is that snafu cost them much more with the loss of the license. Next was Blizzard Entertainment opting not to renew their Wizard of Warcraft CCG license with the company.

The bleeding still didn't stop as Upper Deck tried unsuccessfully to work their way around the exclusive contract MLBP signed with Topps. Again, the settlement might be doable but their loss of rights to include things like jersey pieces, options to airbrush and other concessions makes it difficult to make a real go with baseball. Sure, a portrait-style set would be awesome (hint, hint), but how many of those can they make to get the cash flow going to a level it would be with fully licensing. I'm no expert but it'd certainly be an uphill challenge.

The article states that much of the restructuring is happening within the entertainment division. There Upper Deck has a pretty big license with Marvel to make both cards and CCGs. But their previous experiences with the license didn't wow the market. Neither have Upper Deck's other recent attempts to become a major player in the non-sport market. Tale of Despereaux and Igor were nice in that the manufacturer showed a willingness to reach out for new licenses. But both sets (and movies) were duds. A few months ago Upper Deck announced the acquisition of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Hello Kitty card licenses. Neither have had firm sets and release dates announced yet.

No matter my thoughts on the legal issues surrounding Upper Deck, it sucks to hear people losing jobs. Even though I don't know people within the company on a personal level, I still hate hearing about layoffs restructuring. Especially when some of the people at the top making the iffy calls probably still have their family photos sitting on their desks.

So You Want to Be a Sketch Card Artist?

Non-sport manufacturer Breygent posted on Non-Sport Update Magazine's Card Talk today that they were looking for some artists for some upcoming sets. Interested artists would be expected to produce anywhere from 25 to 100 cards for each set they are selected for. The sets in question:

• Golden Age of Comics
• Cartoon Sketch Series
• Woodstock Generation Poster Series
• Sci-Fi Horror Posters

If you're an artistic type who is interested in being consider, please send Tom Breyer an email at tom@breygent.com.

I think it's very exciting to see Breygent reach out to the collecting community to help build sets. The card-collecting base is extremely varied, especially in the non-sport end of things, so there's bound to be some folks with interesting styles amongst us. Are you one of them?

Topps Logo Goes on a Diet

Topps listed this updated logo on Twitter. It's looking a little slimmer. I'm still undecided on what I think. It looks a little more futuristic, which probably bodes well if they're moving more and more into the interactive world.

2009 UD Signature Stars Baseball Is Live and with More Hat Logos

Yesterday some images of 2009 Upper Deck Ultimate Baseball started popping up. Now some 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars Baseball has emerged as well. After much speculation, it looks like Upper Deck has tipped its hand: all things are go save for the actual logos and nicknames. Clearly these cards show logos and there's no real attempt of even hiding the fact. For the casual collector who doesn't bother following the legal wranglings of the hobby, they likely wouldn't notice any difference from Topps licensed cards. As evidenced by the Hanson, they've even come up with their own answer to the rookie card logo.

On the one hand, I give Upper Deck credit for making some nice looking cards. On the other, I'm really getting tired of them wanting to make up their own rules. Yes, they're a business that's out to make a profit, but they're not the rebel start-up that they once were.

Back in 1989 Upper Deck was something fresh and new. They really did revolutionize the hobby. It was easy to get behind them because they were forcing everyone to do a better job at producing cards. But more than two decades later, they're the establishment. They've got a massive market share in North America. These moves in baseball equate to me like a big, old flipping of the bird at Topps, Major League Baseball and anyone else who's bothering to pay attention. This is just the latest move of many that haven't been so much about competition as they've been about appearing petty to at least this collector. Other instances include the Sweet Spot Michael Buysner and the blatant ripoff of Topps designs masqueraded under the guise of O-Pee-Chee.

It seems obvious that Upper Deck is ready to fight with these baseball cards. Otherwise, why would they hold back releasing images? Just remember Upper Deck, you do hold an exclusive with hockey, which is going to make your argument seem a little superficial. But then again, maybe a small chunk of baseball is worth more than all of hockey.

In the long run, I find it difficult to see how Upper Deck will be successful in landing future licenses. By sticking their thumb up to baseball (not to mention the whole counterfeiting CCG thing), they're showing disrespect to the hobby that has made them what they are today. I know if I were a licensor with a brand name and image to protect, I'd be very leery when dealing with such attitudes. I may be way off base here, and if I am I'd love to hear different perspectives.

Update:

This card from the Signed, Sealed and Delivered insert set shows Upper Deck is still willing to mention the team names as well, not just the cities:

Upper Deck Celebrates the Redemption Card

The new ad for 2010 SPx Baseball (as posted on Upper Deck's Facebook page):

I like the concept but, "I will screm when we pull a SPx Rookie Redemption"? Really? Probably not the best choice of words. Or maybe it is. My guess is they're wanting this young lad to scream with joy like this kid:

Redemptions though - they make me want to scream, but in the slightly more angry sense.

Using redemptions as a central piece of a marketing campaign? Really?

Naked Preview: 2010 SPx Baseball

Why the curious title? Upper Deck's gone and released some info on 2010 SPx Baseball but it's a little bare due to the fact that they've started this new trend of not releasing any images to go with them.

Scheduled for release at the start of May, SPx looks like it does just about every other year since 2001. The base set consists of 100 cards plus 50 SPx Materials, 30 SPx Rookie autographs and SPx Rookie Update autographs. The product announcement also mentions regular SPx Rookie Update cards numbered to 350 but it lists them as inserts. I'm checking with Upper Deck to see if they're base cards or inserts. The Rookie Update cards are meant to "celebrate" Upper Deck missing to put 21 guys like Johan Santana and Michael Young in the set a decade ago. Blowout Cards currently has box pre-sales listed at $100.

Each 18-pack box (packs have four cards) has one autograph and five jersey cards, two of which will be dual- or triple-swatch cards.

Autograph sets include (all withvaried serial numbers):

• SPx Rookie Signatures
• SPx Auto Materials
• SPx Auto Patch Materials
• Winning Materials Auto parallel
• Flashback Fabrics Auto parallel
• 2000 SPx Rookie Update Autographs

Each case will also have two SPx Rookie Signature redemptions that will be announced during the season.

Memorabilia cards include:

• SPx Materials 
• Winning Materials
• Winning Combos
• Flashback Fabrics
• Winning Trios

The following appear at a combined rate of two per case and have varied numbering:

• SPx Patch Materials
• Winning Materials Jersey Patch parallel
• Winning Combos Dual Patch
• Flashback Fabrics Dual Patch

Shadow Box inserts appear for the firt time in baseball, falling at a rate of one per case. There's two different levels: Shadow Box Stars and Shadow Box Chase to 56, which is bound to include some sort of connection to Joe Dimaggio, either by pairing him with a current player or offering something that breaks down his record hits streak.


The cross-brand Exquisite program continues with either a regular card or patch card in every case.

When SPx started as a hologram-based set in 1996 I ate it up. I bought as many one-card packs for $5 as I could afford (which wasn't much). They were thick, shiny and gorgeous. But as SPx aged, it changed into a set that focused on rookies and autographs, most of which were rather suspect for the price. I haven't been a fan of SPx since 2001. And while there's some things that have me intrigued, again, the lack of images is a major buzzkill.

I'd also be a little leary on pre-sales from Upper Deck for the next couple of weeks given this whole Konami lawsuit. If the court decides a major fine is in order and puts them to go bankrupt, then what happens to those who've placed their orders already? A ruling is due by the end of the month, which will hopefully clear things up.

But until we get some pictures, here's a couple of polar bears waltzing.