New Licensing Agreement (Upper Deck Exclusive) Discussion Thread

[route42nj]

Prizm was the nicest regular set, and parallel sets issued in the past 10 years, and very affordable.

I agree with this ^. I really liked the look and feel of Prizm and the blasters are really fun to break for $20 as far as retail offerings go. The rack packs are fun too.

[egghead529]

I spent 15 years trying to stop local, regional and casual Sports Teams from using the Skoal Bandit Logos on all their slo-pitch uniforms without permission, as well as NASCAR, PRCA, Indy Car as it pertains to tobacco legislation, and several other sponsored Sports entities and their fans. It's easy for the NHL to protect their Logos and Trademarks via Hockey cards, it simply requires a small amount of diligence.

All about money? Yes of course it is. But nothing happens until something is sold, and the NHL has limited it's league and player likeness sales with restricting their license to one, and only one company.

Cool, we've established we both know what we're talking about. Like I said in my first post, I simply prefer UD products to Panini's, so I won't miss the majority of what Panini has to offer. I'm allowed my opinion, as is every other person in this hobby. That what makes this hobby so great, everyone can collect what they choose to collect and like what they choose to like. Just because someone has an opinion on a product that differs from your opinion, doesn't make it wrong.

[piper1]

So Boring wins the Day.

[centrehice]

Egghead:

Absolutely you are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. But I have to laugh at the foundation of American business and it's dependence upon fair and equitable competition in the marketplace. This new agreement throws that to the dogs.

In terms of preference, I don't think that any card companies are hitting the mark when it comes to a value based product. It hasn't been that way since the greatest year that Hockey cards were ever produced - 1997-98.

Tons of licensing, many great and creative issues, and about 7 different companies, all with a stake.

[Gord93]

Cool, we've established we both know what we're talking about. Like I said in my first post, I simply prefer UD products to Panini's, so I won't miss the majority of what Panini has to offer. I'm allowed my opinion, as is every other person in this hobby. That what makes this hobby so great, everyone can collect what they choose to collect and like what they choose to like. Just because someone has an opinion on a product that differs from your opinion, doesn't make it wrong.

And here's the crux of the problem: yes, you might prefer UD to Panini, but not everyone does. I don't. A lot of collectors don't. For the majority of Upper Deck's product line, I don't really care about it. And just by eliminating competition, UD is not guaranteeing that I'm going to keep buying their hockey cards, or anyone else's hockey cards. It's a hobby that people can drift away from, or quit doing. By taking out the other things that other people like, you are shrinking your overall demographic into something uniform instead of growing it into a hobby where everyone can do their unique things.

[egghead529]

Egghead:

Absolutely you are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. But I have to laugh at the foundation of American business and it's dependence upon fair and equitable competition in the marketplace. This new agreement throws that to the dogs.

Yes, but sport is one business where competition seems to be thrown out the window. Look no further than MLB's exemption from antitrust laws. I don't love that there is an exclusive, like you said, fair and equitable competition is the backbone of our economy, but if there is going to be an exclusive, I'm glad it is Upper Deck.

[13stepper]

I am so happy about this!

[Gord93]

Yes, but sport is one business where competition seems to be thrown out the window. Look no further than MLB's exemption from antitrust laws. I don't love that there is an exclusive, like you said, fair and equitable competition is the backbone of our economy, but if there is going to be an exclusive, I'm glad it is Upper Deck.

On one hand, the very priniciple of an exclusive license leads to bad things.

On the other hand, the fact that the exclusive license is going to a company with many known issues leads to bad things that will be completely expected.

[egghead529]

And here's the crux of the problem: yes, you might prefer UD to Panini, but not everyone does. I don't. A lot of collectors don't. For the majority of Upper Deck's product line, I don't really care about it. And just by eliminating competition, UD is not guaranteeing that I'm going to keep buying their hockey cards, or anyone else's hockey cards. It's a hobby that people can drift away from, or quit doing. By taking out the other things that other people like, you are shrinking your overall demographic into something uniform instead of growing it into a hobby where everyone can do their unique things.

Completely agree with you, everyone has the right to pick their own favorites. Ideally, there would remain competition while limited the product releases. In reality, this entire conversation is moot until we learn how many products Upper Deck is allowed to release. If it stays around the same, then it's not great for the hobby, but if the number of products is cut back, even to lets say, 16, then this is a good thing for the overall state of the hobby.

[centrehice]

I am so happy about this!

You've stopped busting BOXES. Remember?