frozenheroes

The following is a post from the Panini blog site :

Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, announced today an updated roster of NHL/NHLPA trading card products for the remainder of the 2012-13 season, following the NHLPA’s decision to restrict 2012-13 Rookie Cards to those players that debuted between the 2012 All-Star Game and the conclusion of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

The decision means that any rookies that debut during the 2012-13 season will have their Rookie Cards appear in 2013-14 NHL/NHLPA Panini America products along with rookies debuting during the 2013-14 season — setting up the category for a highly anticipated double rookie class.

My own opinion as posted on the Panini Blog Site is as follows: “setting up the category for a highly anticipated double rookie class” means basically killing the interest (or lack there of) in any remaining hockey products not to mention putting ‘rookie redemptions’ in a limbo status. What a way for the NHLPA to screw us a second time.

This has got to be the biggest case of kicking the crap out of the card store owner to happen in years. As if it isn't bad enough that 12-13 hockey product sucked and sold as such the relief we thought we would get from the lockout ending and Yakupov being on a card finally has gone up in a puff of smoke. Our business being 95% hockey generated has taken a huge hit but those at the NHL/NHLPA and the card companies don't give a crap. Who cares if the smaller stores fold we have the big guys who push most of our product, get perks and discounted pricing plus return privileges to carry us. What they say goes and they don't have to worry about going under because we give them anything they want. What a crock of S#&T !! Am I bitter ? You bet I've been in this hobby for almost forty years and I thought I had seen it all but when the card companies start taking advice from those getting the most what should we expect. This is one of the darkest days for the hobby that I have ever seen .

Lets pray that somehow the little guys and the real collectors get some relief