2014 Donruss….I like them!

[Jayworld]

Granted, I hear you on this. So basically, those here that don't by Panini products don't buy them because of the licensing issue with MLB, correct? (Which prohibits Panini from putting team names/logos on the cards and not airbrushing out the insignias, etc.)

So would that mean that any non-Topps product is a no-go for you all? If Panini did have the MLB license and was able to produce cards with logos/insignia, then you would or would not give them a try? Is it the logos on the front; i.e. identifying what team a player is on, or a combination of the non logo, non-team nickname (other than the city), and the airbrushing out of insignia?

How did you feel about Donruss and Fleer when the "big three" were all producing baseball cards each year from 1981-89 (when Upper Deck joined the fold)? Were you Topps only, or did you not buy non-logo products back then, regardless of the company? For instance, in 1983, only Fleer had cards with team logos on the front, and in 1984, ditto. (this is just speaking to team logos on front of cards identifying which team a player plays for, not airbrushing).

[steve B]

I'm not quite in the same group, and might be one of those odd customers.

Licensing in general isn't a big hangup for me. I like the MSA discs that didn't have the full license, and collect some of the unlicensed sets from the early 90's.
I had thought they were pulling some sort of end run around licensing, which is (For me anyway) sort of expected from a guy getting cards printed an selling them out of his basement, not so much from a major company licensed by several leagues worldwide. I've been corrected on that and it makes sense now.
But that alone wouldn't make me not buy them.
(Again - odd since I wouldn't buy stuff like Ballstreet, but would buy some of the small manufacturer unlicensed cards. Especially if they were in the 10 cent box.)
I never really paid much attention to the team logos being there or not.

I really liked Donruss and some of their sub brands in the mid 90's.

Early 80's I collected all three.
But wasn't crazy about UD. They cost twice as much and that Griffey kid was really overhyped (Not the first or last time for me being wrong)

The bigger things with Pannini were the designs and the memorabilia cards.
The designs of most of their stuff just didn't do much for me. They're nice, and clean, and modern, and to me rather boring.
That they cut up our relics but don't do that for any country except the US (As far as I know) really bothers me for some reason. Even knowing that in Europe old uniforms aren't seen as anything all that special doesn't help.

Their own PR images didn't help the 2014 Donruss much. A handful of cards, none of them looking like the other made it look like a Topps Archives knock off. (Archives is the one that uses old designs from a few different years in the same set isn't it? If not then whatever set that is is the one I mean.)



All that being said, I tried a couple packs and do like them. The designs are consistent, and a nice updating of some of the better Donruss designs.
I like Gypsy queen more though. Maybe once that clears through retail I'll move to the Donruss, although that may have sold through by then as well.

It's entirely possible 2014 Donruss is a bit of a sleeper with a lowish press run for a 2014 general issue set. A couple late developing rookie superstars and it could be the set we all ask ourselves "why didn't I buy a bunch of that when it was new" - Like 86 fleer basketball.
It's funny how sets look so very different 20-30 years later.

Steve B