Posted By:
Dave Barry is probably right. The major card companies have been hurting since 2000. Topps made a desperation move a couple of years ago, and bought a game company called WIZKIDS which in turn ended up costing them millions....they are still trying to figure out just what to do with WIZKIDS as they spent over $20 million for the company.
Anyone who thinks Upper Deck would still be in business without YUGHI-OH is dreaming. YUGHI_OH sales have kept them afloat the last 3 years, while the small time mom and pop card shops have been closing. When I opened my hobby shop in 2000 there were over 5,200 shops like mine in the U.S. selling hobby stuff, games, cards, comics, etc.... In 2005 when I closed the shop to move to smaller locale there were less than 2,500 of those shops left open. These numbers came from my largest distributor so they are fairly accurate. The card shop in my town has had to re-invent itself every year just to stay in business.
It's all economics to these conglomerates folks....they would sell Babe Ruth's underwear in pieces if they could get a hold of a pair, or better yet they will have experts slavage the dandruff left on one of Honus Wagners shirts, and sell individual flakes set on insert cards