Fanatics to acquire Topps.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by chalupacollects

They had to buy Topps or one of the other brands. Really had no choice as they have no experience printing cards.


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Neither did upper deck in 1989

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Neither did upper deck in 1989

Yeah, printing cards isn't something that I see as being very complicated.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

Yeah, printing cards isn't something that I see as being very complicated.

In today's world *unlike 1989 to a large extent* it's the prep not the printing. There was prep in 1989 but it was easier to create checklists, get photos, etc.

Nowadays you have to pay attention to autographs, Jerseys. relics, parallels, insert sets, etc and stay within a budget.

It is somewhere between 11-14 months depending on the product between OKing the product and having it go live.

[Frank A]

I can imagine the crazy prices that cards will go up to. Sad day for modern collectors.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

In today's world *unlike 1989 to a large extent* it's the prep not the printing. There was prep in 1989 but it was easier to create checklists, get photos, etc.

Nowadays you have to pay attention to autographs, Jerseys. relics, parallels, insert sets, etc and stay within a budget.

It is somewhere between 11-14 months depending on the product between OKing the product and having it go live.

But still nothing too complicated for the average business man (or woman for those of you younger than me, hahahaha). I could do it, if I had the budget. The most complicated part is the license. They have that.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

Yeah, printing cards isn't something that I see as being very complicated.

It's not, but pretty much every company that's gotten started has made loads of mistakes, even if they're switching from small sets to larger sets.
Leaf.... kinda speaks for itself

Bowman- small 48 set, even then some cropping consistency issues. Bigger 49 set with still more problems that had to be fixed.

Topps- small 51, a couple variations because of trades. 52 large set, Loads of variations, like different backs on the first series

Fleer - a few things with the small sets, loads of problems with the first big set in 81

Donruss- Experienced with non sports, big baseball set in 81= problems.

Score- Lots of problems in 88.


UD - Oddly pretty good in 89. No more really than any other company at the time. But they probably only used one printer that they may have owned.

Pacific sort of eased into bigger sets from smaller ones and I think went into football first. and we know how that went.....

Who else? I sort of forget what was owned by who in the 90's.

Even with Topps, I expect big things on the variation front

[Tao_Moko]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Neither did upper deck in 1989

My thought too. And that created a new era of card designs and new standard of quality.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

My thought too. And that created a new era of card designs and new standard of quality.

I happened to speak to Bill Hemrick a few weeks back about it. Precisely the reason they were so good....no bad habits, not willing to cut quality

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[Tao_Moko]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I happened to speak to Bill Hemrick a few weeks back about it. Precisely the reason they were so good....no bad habits, not willing to cut quality

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That's great. Wasn't Bill's card shop the namesake? I wonder if he and Buice remained friends after Buice's suit against UpperDeck almost buried them.

[nat]

"the simplest reason is Fanatics is promising MLB and MLBPA (and the NBA/NBAPA and NFL/NFLPA) more $$$ then they are making in the current contract with Topps. Nothing more, nothing less"

That's most of it, but there's also the fact that MLB owns a slice of Fanatics (a minority slice, it's true, but they own part of it). To some extent, they were selling the license to themselves.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by nat

"the simplest reason is Fanatics is promising MLB and MLBPA (and the NBA/NBAPA and NFL/NFLPA) more $$$ then they are making in the current contract with Topps. Nothing more, nothing less"

That's most of it, but there's also the fact that MLB owns a slice of Fanatics (a minority slice, it's true, but they own part of it). To some extent, they were selling the license to themselves.

As supposedly do the MLBPA, and the other major U.S. sports leagues and their player's unions/associations who also own a piece of Fanatics as well. So yes, they are in effect selling the licensing to themselves. And these groups not only get the up-front licensing money, like they did in the past from Topps and other card companies, they are also now supposedly going to be sharing in the back-end profit that would otherwise have been going to the Topps and other card companies' ownership.

In other words, the sports leagues and players to some extent are just basically cutting out the middle man and going to be selling cards directly to the public themselves.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

My thought too. And that created a new era of card designs and new standard of quality.

And invented the 'chase' card...