ITG turned down NHLPA license this summer

[Kessel_fan_87]

Why, how does ITGU having or not having an NHL license affect you?

There already the best company on the market, having an NHL/NHLPA Licence would really put them threw the roof. And how does my opioin affect you anyway?

[centrehice]

I was just curious.

They make wonderful cards, and I have never had a problem with them, but I will back them if it means them producing more and for them to make a decent profit. You cannot have the NHLPA dictating to ITGU their business, that's not cool.

[cardscardscards]

30randfordfan you are correct in your assumptions.

As I said in my Blog, sometimes the deals you don't do are your best deal.

I am not a conspiracy theorist but a lockout always loomed large in my decision. The most relevant reason for not doing the deal was only being able to do two releases.

I could not keep my staff and other overhead in line with two releases even if they were licensed.

It seemed like I was being offered a chance to be "licensed out of business".

I will keep applying for licenses but don't hold your breath.

In the interim, I personally and In The Game corporately will do everything in our power to support the hobby.

Brian Price

I'm glad you had the foresight to see through this potential catastrophe.
And honestly, unless the NHLPA agrees to sign ITG for 10+ releases per year/season, I would stay away from making a deal with them lockout or no lockout.

Good decision, great thinking and thanks for being there for the hobby.

[bprice]

Just got of the telephone with a store owner. I think I am now more upset than he is about what is going on in our hobby.

I know that we are only a very small percentage of the marketplace and I know why, but we will do whatever we can to support the hobby until those who control it come to there senses.

Maybe when the double rookie crop comes out next year it will be the end of the day for ITG but I will know that we went out supporting the hobby not trying to destroy it.

Brian Price

[CoolHandLuke]

Rookie is not everything and I will keep buying the ITG product that I like. Not all of them are for me but the one I like, I will still be buying. The thing about the rookie is that if you have no value rookie, certain product do not meet the value of your investement and simply not worth buying them. In the case of ITG, we will still buy heros and prospect for the pre rookie cards. BTP will still be hot for goaltender collector like me and your niche product will still make my wallet ring when the product is something I like. The design, the memorabilia that often are so much bigger and better looking will still have attraction. In a way, the rookie was something ITG work hard to go around and make it's place on the market. I don't see collector stop buying them. Maybe a bit less sale if they invest more next year , in licenceproduct, because of the rookie crop but I don't think collector will not buy ITG product.

And of course having logo back on the ITG cards would be great but as long as it's good for ITG as I don't want them to go out of business. Competition is only benificial and ITG with or without a license is a must.

[brian045]

Being able to pick up memorbilia of the best hockey players ever is why i stick with ITG.I only collect HOF players.If ITG was not around,it would be hard to pick up the game used items i have.I dont care if they have a license or not. If the name plates and stick racks ive bought had pictures on them, IMO, they wouldnt be any more special.Im glad ITG is around and i can add these sweet pieces to my collection.

[odjickfan]

Heroes and Prospects will be the only product with cards of the top rookies to join the league this season. It will be a hot product.

[subban7677]

Just got of the telephone with a store owner. I think I am now more upset than he is about what is going on in our hobby.

I know that we are only a very small percentage of the marketplace and I know why, but we will do whatever we can to support the hobby until those who control it come to there senses.

Maybe when the double rookie crop comes out next year it will be the end of the day for ITG but I will know that we went out supporting the hobby not trying to destroy it.

Brian Price

This was a little concerning to read. Have I missed something recently?

[dmaksymyshyn]

Being able to pick up memorbilia of the best hockey players ever is why i stick with ITG.I only collect HOF players.If ITG was not around,it would be hard to pick up the game used items i have.I dont care if they have a license or not. If the name plates and stick racks ive bought had pictures on them, IMO, they wouldnt be any more special.Im glad ITG is around and i can add these sweet pieces to my collection.

In the past 2 or so years, I have quickly shifted my card collecting to more ITG products...I have started a HOF PC, which ITG produces plenty of. BTP is one of my favorite products, and the history they fall back on pushes me to their products (not all of them....just saying I think BTP and Enshrined are and were fantastic).

Not having a license doesn't bother me either. Being a business man, I absolutely see why the decision was made, and what an excellent choice it was...

[centrehice]

New Rookies are certainly not everything. The last Rookies I collected are from 2002-03 Nash and Zetterberg, and for the most part they are all gone as well.

The person that continues to chase new every year, eventually ends up with 100,000 cards that they cannot move anywhere.