The Begining of the End?

**hhliving1101** · 04-27-2010, 03:12 AM

By: Ethan Cahn

A funny thing happened on the way to the card shop, I woke up.
I remembered that this wasn't supposed to be about the big hit, this is a hobby I enjoyed, because I respected, and in some cases Adored my childhood heroes from their various sports. I used to collect with the goal in mind to get the complete set, maybe even the inserts(which durning this time period were few, and far between) It's no longer like that, the kids today to understand that it shouldn't be about the amount of autographs, or jerseys you get betters your experience.
Yes, I would be lying to you if I said I didn't enjoy pulling a Matt Ryan Rc Auto, but what did it teach my son? The rest of the box was pretty much just split up and sold/traded off.

I am relizing as a father, and a collector who very much wants to share this wonderful hobby with his son, Problem is for him, he expects that Autograph, Jersey, or that rare Silk card(Harrison pulled the 2007 Mantle Turkey Red Silk out of his first pack of cards). How can we as a collector's remind the "Younger Generation" that it's not always about the big hit? That said, how can we, as the older generation teach the younger generation the value in set collecting?

Sure there have been the mainstables, the Topps, Upper deck basic sets, but even those are now too much, with all of the short prints, and inserts(I bought a case of 2007 topps attempting to get a master set of the inserts, not including autos, and Jersey's), and I wasn't even close. If I can't do it cause of costs, how is a nine year old going to?

Now to their credit 2 of the big 3 have embraced the younger generation's Internet savay(and the 3rd has recently rolled out a program of their own), and created programs combining cards, with virtual cards, basically a virtual set within a set, while I think this might be a step in the right direction, But They are set up as gimmicks and very hard to navigate, with no true way to "collect". Of Course that is really not me, I'm the have to hold collector, I do understand the appeal of these ideas, but kids Still have to buy packs of cards, and be lucky enough to get a code card.

Ok so after a few days of comtimplation on this, there was a recent development, Panani has Rolled out it's plans for this years Score set, and It's a $1.00 a pack product. Granted, There aren't many Autographs, and i don't believe any jersey cards, but it's a very affordable product i can collect with my son, straight forward and no real Short printed inserts(atleast nothing that will cost an arm and a leg to get to complete the set).

I personally haven't embraced the Panini Exclusive(s), and not sure I will, but this has definatly put a spin on things for me, atleast For now.

I find it much better than the ongoing Topps Promotion of the Million card giveaway. Who was the target of this promotion? Our Kids, or the Seasoned Collector who wanted a shot at a mantle? I ask this because Topps decided to put this in there one of their lower end sets, 2010 Topps(which naturally Inflated the Cost of this normally basic and Inexpensive set, Currently $19 per jumbo pack at my LCS, Up from $10). I see comercials on MLB targeting kids, yet the promotion isn't really for them, is it?
With the exclusives in place I am now starting to see what each company's Niche is going to be, and To me, It looks grim.

It's no Secret, Upper Deck is holding on by a thread, they have hockey(With Panini), the NCAA, and a few Entertainment Products, Unforunatly
Until there is a change a the Very top of the Company (Yes, Mr. McWilliams I am speaking about you, Shreading Counterfeit Cards in your office), and if they get thru the counterfeiting Thing, they are going to be doing the same thing as before, No change, Business as Usual, with "alot of moving parts"(Quote from facebook when asked about the delayed sets) leading no where but more delays.

Topps, the MLB Exclusive Holder, The give up artist's that could care less about anything but bottom lines, not pleasing their customers. I think they plan on doing their normal stable of marqee sets(The Chromes, Etc), but no real change will come about they are to entreanched into their way, and feel collector's deserve nothing, Even when They have been proven wrong.

Panini, Well that's where this is going to be an interesting year, they have just about everything now, and recently commetited to bring the set collectors and kids back. But they also decided to Limit their Distribution Methods, making it much harder, and more costly for collector's to get their products. So I just don't know how they are going to
do with the new method, alot of people will have to go through many different distributors to recieve a box, and each one
of those Distributor's will want their profits, who is that going to trikle down to make up the difference?

US THE COLLECTOR'S!!!

In the last 20 years we have gone through many changes and Innovations in the sports cards/memorabilia world, but this could be the begining of the end. The High dollar products are not practical for the adverage collector, and wheather or not the big 3 wants to admit it, their money really is coming from the Everyday person who goes to a show/shop.

I find it very sad that the Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck tend to forget that....