COVID and Cards - the 2020-21 Season

[RGM81]

In our big chat about the resumption of the NHL and the 2020 playoffs, a very important point was brought up: how this delayed completion of the season is going to affect the 2020-21 Upper Deck release calendar.

At this stage of the game, we are looking at a scenario that could end up very similar to the 2012-13 season, which featured fewer releases, only the "carry-over" rookies, and an according increase in focus on veteran-driven content. It was actually a pretty fun year because of that--some of the nicest cards UD and Panini produced came out of that season.

In all likelihood, with the 2019-20 season extending into September or October, it's very difficult to envision Upper Deck Series 1 coming out in November as usual. If they stick to that schedule, the rookie content will be limited and won't feature any of the 2020 Draft rookies. Imagine a Series 1 that doesn't have Lafreniere, Byfield, etc.

It would be interesting to know what types of contingencies they're planning.

Any thoughts?

[creasecollector]

Great topic.

While it will definitely be weird, I hope this can force Upper Deck into getting more creative with what they offer to the consumers, especially if they have a limited release schedule without the usual big rookie cards to chase every single release.

[Rraincock]

Sounds like UD series 2 will be worth buying

[30ranfordfan]

Let's assume that they get to restart the 19-20 season August 1st, it ends around October 15th, training camps start December 1st (maybe a few days earlier), and the puck drops on January 1st for the 2021 season.....

For Series 1, I see three options:

1. Release it at its normal time. Use a mix of Carry-Over Rookies (I think there's 32 of them, maybe another couple show up in the playoffs?) and Vets... much like they did in 04-05. This probably doesn't work... unless the spit is 15 Carry Overs, vs 34 Vets (ish). Maybe go 2002-03 style, and instead of "Young Guns" cards of the vets, do "Memorable Seasons" instead.
2. Simply delay the release until February. With a shortened season, I question if we'll even see a series 2.
3. As the exclusive manufacturer of NHL Licensed trading cards, go to their partners in the PA... and beg for a one-time exception on the rule. Use 30 carry overs, and 19 rookies expected to make their teams (plus a checklist). Release on their normal schedule.

Note: by "one time", I don't mean this one season..... I mean this one set. Artifacts & OPC & MVP will be largely unaffected. They can release another mid-to-high end set (or two?) that is vet driven, if that isn't enough to get out before the end of the 2020.

[odjickfan]

UD will have hard choice to make with its products planification. Less products and more focus on hard-signed veteran stuff, that would be a positive for me.

[RGM81]

UD will have hard choice to make with its products planification. Less products and more focus on hard-signed veteran stuff, that would be a positive for me.

Totally agree - the 12-13 card season was amazing for just these reasons. Less is more sometimes.

[Leafsman]

odjickfan brought up a point about hard-signed autos.

I'm on the other side of the fence here. I'm in the minority here and I am proud of it. I say KNOCK OFF with all the signed stuff!! It's too much.

EVERYTHING seems to be signed these days. Whether it's hard-signed or a sticker auto, it's still too much. Think about it...how many cards has Sidney Crosby signed for Upper Deck? Thousands. Then there's the sticker autos, which are replications of the real signature. There are multitudes of those as well from all players. It's ridiculous. Enough already. It's gotten to the point of "I've seen one, I've seen them all." I don't care how much a Crosby autograph can bring in, there is so many that it has lost the luster for me, y'know?

One particular gripe I have is with SP Authentic in the last few years. Future Watch Autos have a listed print run of 999 but an actual run of 949 because 50 are inscribed. Completely idiotic idea. They turned it into a subset within the main set and it's infuriating. Then people try to pass the inscribed cards off as a rookie card, which they are not. FWAs are hard enough to collect at the best of times, now there are 50 less of them to get. Not fun.

I'd like to see a set like 2000-01 SP Authentic. None of the rookie cards were signed that year (the first year rookie cards were signed was 2001-02). Just nice clean cards.

[RGM81]

Future Watch Autos have a listed print run of 999 but an actual run of 949 because 50 are inscribed. Completely idiotic idea. They turned it into a subset within the main set and it's infuriating. Then people try to pass the inscribed cards off as a rookie card, which they are not. FWAs are hard enough to collect at the best of times, now there are 50 less of them to get. Not fun.

Really not sure where you're coming from on this one. The first 50 cards in the print run /999 are inscribed, so they are absolutely rookie cards. They just have a little bit of extra ink on them.

Regarding Crosby - he's been Upper Deck's golden boy for a long time now, but he actually has fewer autograph cards in recent years than you might think. If you fire up the SCF Inventory and search Crosby autos, the numbers are WAY down.

2017-18 - he did have 53 auto'd cards that year, but many of them were SSP'd to 25 or fewer copies. Largest print run was the Tim Hortons Timbits auto.
2018-19 - 56 autos, but again, most were under 15 copies that year.
2019-20 - the overall numbers are up this year but largely due to the UD Buybacks release, which features numerous cards /5 or less.

It looks like a lot, but they're wisely managing the numbers that are out there. Crosby autos are very tough to find, and you aren't getting one for cheap. *You* might be sick of them, but that is distinctly a minority opinion. Completed sales reflect that reality--there's a lot of nice cards moving of his lately but very few are from the past three seasons, just because they're not as readily available. Keep in mind "The Kid" has been in the NHL for 15 years now; of course he's got a ton of cards out there. Over the course of his career, absolutely he's signed thousands of cards, but in recent years he and his management guys are reducing that supply down to hundreds. There's guys who will play 5 games in their NHL career that have signed more cards this year than he will.

[Leafsman]

Really not sure where you're coming from on this one. The first 50 cards in the print run /999 are inscribed, so they are absolutely rookie cards. They just have a little bit of extra ink on them.

Regarding Crosby - he's been Upper Deck's golden boy for a long time now, but he actually has fewer autograph cards in recent years than you might think. If you fire up the SCF Inventory and search Crosby autos, the numbers are WAY down.

2017-18 - he did have 53 auto'd cards that year, but many of them were SSP'd to 25 or fewer copies. Largest print run was the Tim Hortons Timbits auto.
2018-19 - 56 autos, but again, most were under 15 copies that year.
2019-20 - the overall numbers are up this year but largely due to the UD Buybacks release, which features numerous cards /5 or less.

It looks like a lot, but they're wisely managing the numbers that are out there. Crosby autos are very tough to find, and you aren't getting one for cheap. *You* might be sick of them, but that is distinctly a minority opinion. Completed sales reflect that reality--there's a lot of nice cards moving of his lately but very few are from the past three seasons, just because they're not as readily available. Keep in mind "The Kid" has been in the NHL for 15 years now; of course he's got a ton of cards out there. Over the course of his career, absolutely he's signed thousands of cards, but in recent years he and his management guys are reducing that supply down to hundreds. There's guys who will play 5 games in their NHL career that have signed more cards this year than he will.

Richard, I sent a tweet to Upper Deck asking if inscribed FWAs are considered rookie cards. I'll respond with their answer

[odjickfan]

I'd like to see a set like 2000-01 SP Authentic. None of the rookie cards were signed that year (the first year rookie cards were signed was 2001-02). Just nice clean cards.

Did you like the SP retail set last year? Rookies /1199, clean design, more affordable price. The autos and jerseys were harder hits in these. Blue parallels and inserts in almost every pack to give some value. I broke one box and it was fun :)