Results 1 to 2 of 2
-
08-13-2010, 11:10 PM #1
So Where Do We Go From Here?
Lack of selection, escalation of prices, availability of product, mark up costs from retailer’s, what do all these things have in common you ask? The end of Set collector’s as well as concreting any chance of bringing in kids to the hobby. Now I say this mainly because of the most recent Bowman Baseball release went so through the roof that no kid and even many adults could not shell out $10 per basic pack, or $25 per jumbo(don’t get me started on the cost of the boxes these days).
Was it not supposed to be Topps’s responsibility to attempt to bring in the younger generation? Per their agreement with Major League Baseball, it is and was promised BY TOPPS when they got the exclusive rights to produce Major League Baseball Cards. Sure they have had a very cool gimmick which someone like myself can appreciate. The Topps Million card Giveaway which gave the chance for anyone who pulled a “code Card” the Opportunity to receive a card from Past Topps company releases(including 5 1952 Mickey Mantle Rc cards which still have not been awarded).
My point here is I learned to enjoy collecting through my Uncle. We would go out and get a few packs and then I would try to get a set, No fancy inserts, no short prints that are 1 Per 12 box case and a pack price under or around a single dollar. Topps has not done anything but add more gimmicks to escalate the cost of their products and have not done ANYTHING to bring kids back to collecting as they promised they would do.
Recently other sports have opted to go with more than one company to produce their prospective sports and well that’s been refreshing (It’s Sad because having choices used to be the norm). In Football Panini & topps have both been given license rights. Panini already has 4 sets under their belts and has done as they promised, Recently releasing a reboot of Score, a low-end set gear toward kids, as well as set collector’s alike. Inserts yes, but nothing to outrageous or extremely limited. Plus that they even include autographs, granted they maybe of players not going to make it but they are obtainable and nice to see in a set with such a low Price point.
Topps hasn’t even gotten their first release out yet, due out later this week. They have decided to do a similar promotion with their football brand just as they did with the MCG program, thus guaranteeing the price for this Product WILL Rise by 1 1/2 to 2 times the Original Price point of $2.99 Hobby and $9.99 Hobby Jumbo Pack.
Hockey has recently done away with the exclusive contract they had with Upper Deck and have awarded Panini a license to produce NHL cards; this was a welcome change to the hockey card market. Upper Deck had given up and gone through the motions the last few sets before the decision was made to bring someone else in. They got stale and well lazy.
The NHL figured out that the best thing for their fans is to bring competition back to the market, bring in newdesigns and new innovations. Bringing in Panini gives them this.
So back to the once great basbeall card market, the place where brands & Company’s were born and new ideas attempted. Now has no competition completely contradicting what they as a sport stand for, Fair competition for the betterment of the fans themselves….
-
-
08-14-2010, 11:14 PM #2
-
