Unless you've been under a rock or hiding out in a cave in Afghanistan, you know Topps signed an exclusive contract with MLB which starts January 1, 2010. What does that mean to YOU?
Will you stick with Topps only in 2010? Will you still buy the logo-less Upper Deck products? Do you just adopt a wait and see attitude to check out how Upper Deck deals with design in regards to their card issues?
I'm not sure what I'll do, but I do think the topic that is raging across the blogosphere is hurting the stranglehold Topps assumes they'll have over the hobby. That topic is the failed bit known as redemptions. The majority of us (collectors) despise sticker autos, but I think that is the only way you'll see the redemptions for autos go away. The card companies would never release a set if if had to wait around for all the athletes to return their cards. Personally, I would rather pull a redemption and wait awhile rather than get a sticker auto. Redemptions for relics just makes no sense at all. The Cat Osterman relic redemption in 2009 Allen & Ginter is just odd. How can a company like Topps NOT secure a Cat jersey? Surely they exist outside of Cat's locker. I certainly don't claim to know the innerworkings of Topps or Upper Deck, but it seems to me, if you're going to put a relic in a product, it should be possible to obtain a relic in advance of production.
Topps has the exclusive they wanted, now they need to back that up with excellent customer service. Otherwise Upper Deck stands to come out looking good, logos or not.
I haven't decided if I'll collect the Topps set next year, but I'm leaning toward no even though I've put together the 2009 series 1 and I'm working on the series 2 set.
ReplyDeleteI'll likely just continue working on some 2009 cards and hit the Allen & Ginter when that comes out mid-summer.
I'll do what I usually do -- buy a Topps set, put it in the closet, and continue getting cards for the vintage sets I'm working on.
ReplyDeleteI'll buy a pack or two of Upper Deck just to see how they're handling the no-license thing. That'll decide if I bother with them for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteMy plan with Topps will be the usual. Buy what I like.
I will see what the Upper Deck cards look like and buy Padres team sets to get signatures from guys I don't already have.
ReplyDeleteJust wait and see. So far, I'm not liking the looks of the Topps base set. They look like an Upper Deck released Fleer set to me. Plus, Upper Deck may just surprise everyone. It's too early to tell.
ReplyDeleteI just bought Topps in 2010, though I am attempting to finish the 2010 Upper Deck set now!! LOL
ReplyDeleteRichard... oh when are you going to give up?
ReplyDelete