Panini now exclusive for NFL/NCAA

[brian045]

I was reading an article in the football talk section saying that Panini now has the exclusive for the NFL and NCAA. I know UD had an exclusive for NCAA up until next year. They had a few highend NFL products that I believe did very well. Panini now has NBA,NFL and NCAAFB. Topps has MLB, and UD only has NHL. Since I love hockey cards, I always get in the mindset that UD is in charge of the world, when it reality, they now only will only have an exclusive for the smallest market sport. What could be next? Will they try and squeeze more money out of us? or will they try and make better products since NHL will be the focus?

[pwaldo]

Upper Deck also has golf, Michael Jordan, and CFL. But your point does stand as it was discussed over in the basketball and football side of the forum if that's enough for Upper Deck to survive along with hockey. I think it is but they are on rocky ground and probably will look for other areas to expand. Didn't they release some Fleer Retro Marvel products? Maybe non sport is the way to go for them then?

[KingKuba]

Panini will buy them out in the future and have NHL cards too.

[Rraincock]

There are CFL cards beyond Jogo?

[brian045]

UD has M.Jordan, Lebron, Griffey ect..Yet they don't have a professional license for any of them, holding the collectors hostage. UD wont let them go to a competitor, and the competitor wont let go of the license- leading to a stale mate-which means the customer loses! This is all a game to them. The collectors cant get what they want from ANY of the companies. I liked buying ITG's game used, UD's The Cup and Paninis prime cards. Now that's not possible.
I wish it was more about the hobby and less about the money for these companies.

[RGM81]

To be clear, they don't have a sports card license for those athletes. They can produce all sorts of UD Authenticated memorabilia of these greats of their respective games, just not little 2.5"x3.5" pieces of cardboard. High-end collectors can get their fix, just in a different medium.

[joshpackham]

There are CFL cards beyond Jogo?

yes upper deck released a stand alone CFL set this year

[pwaldo]

UD has M.Jordan, Lebron, Griffey ect..Yet they don't have a professional license for any of them, holding the collectors hostage. UD wont let them go to a competitor, and the competitor wont let go of the license- leading to a stale mate-which means the customer loses! This is all a game to them. The collectors cant get what they want from ANY of the companies. I liked buying ITG's game used, UD's The Cup and Paninis prime cards. Now that's not possible.
I wish it was more about the hobby and less about the money for these companies.

Well they don't have Griffey exclusive but they aren't holding Lebron James and Michael Jordan hostage. Michael Jordan owns stake in Upper Deck so why would he devalue his own stake by signing with somebody else? Also Lebron James signed a long term contract with Upper Deck before Panini decided to buy an NBA exclusive. It isn't Upper Deck's fault that Panini decided to throw tons of money at a sport where they couldn't release stuff of the game's two most popular athletes. They are taking a bath on that investment and it will be a few more years before that James contract ends. After that he will sign for Panini but Jordan isn't going to sign for anybody else unless UD goes under.

[cubby62188]

it may appear that upper deck has the smallest market but in fact you couldnt be more wrong they have exclusive rights with michael jordan and lebron james and they do produce ncaa basketball cards so those are the only places to get a jordan or lebron autographed card. next they have of course the exclusive nhl deal which is a great asset but the biggest asset in upper decks arsenal of licenses is the exclusive with MARVEL they are the only company that can produce marvel cards and with at least 10 more major movies set to hit theatres thats where the money is their most recent movie set guardians of the galaxy flew off shelves and autographs sell for no less than a 100 dollars a piece. plus they have the upper deck authenticated memorabilia market Upper deck is doing just fine. o and upper deck no longer has the exclusive with griffey he has autographs through panini

[pwaldo]

The lone NASCAR trading card manufacturer looks to be closing its doors. Upper Deck did dabble in the racing card market some time ago so maybe they reenter that as well?